Nakaseke district police have arrested a woman accused of setting her 16-year-old niece on fire after suspecting her of stealing 400,000 Ugandan shillings.
The suspect, identified as Selina Nalukwago, allegedly carried out the attack on Bridget Akello on the evening of Thursday, March 13, at her home in Kyondo village, Kapeeka sub-county.
According to Savannah Regional Police spokesperson Sam Twiineamazima, preliminary investigations reveal that Nalukwago suspected Akello of stealing money from her home. In an act of retribution, she reportedly purchased paraffin, doused the teenager—who was fully clothed at the time—and set her ablaze inside a locked room.
The desperate cries of the burning girl alerted neighbours, who rushed to the scene and forced their way into the house. They found Akello with severe burns and immediately took her to a nearby clinic for emergency care. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was transferred first to Nakaseke General Hospital and later to Kiruddu National Referral Hospital in Kampala for specialised treatment.
