Sandra Ainebyoona.
The murder of four-year-old Trinity Isabella Nakisuyi has been linked to a complex web of religious practices with potentially sinister undertones. The case has led to the arrest and institution of legal proceedings against key figures within the Deliverance and Healing Ministries Church
The main suspect is Pastor Buyinza Isma Sekabira, also known as Israel, who leads the Deliverance and Healing Ministries Church in Nansana. Co-accused Felista Namaganda is similarly facing charges related to the tragic crime that occurred in 2021. The duo made an appearance before Justice Winfred Nabisinde at the Jinja High Court.
Pastor Joseph Sserubiri, another member of the Deliverance and Healing Ministries Church, had previously admitted to murder and aggravated trafficking in persons. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and a 30-year prison term, respectively..
Details of the case reveal that Sserubiri’s actions were guided by a disturbing vision, in which he believed that sacrificing a child would grant him material wealth and spiritual power. This orchestrated effort implicated Sserubiri, Namaganda, and Sekabira in the kidnapping, murder, and disturbing rituals associated with Nakisuyi’s tragic death, exposing the potential manipulation of religious beliefs for sinister purposes.
However, while Sserubiri confessed to the crimes, Sekabira and Namaganda staunchly denied any involvement, setting the stage for a legal confrontation to ascertain the truth. The court proceedings led to their remand until August 29, 2023, when the case is scheduled to resume for further examination.
The testimony of Peruth Akumu, the officer in charge of criminal investigations at Kakira Police Station, offered a grim account of the crime’s details. Blood stains within the church, a decomposing head discovered beneath a tree, and a tarpaulin-covered sack containing bones and clothing provided a haunting narrative of the tragedy.
