Missing Woman’s Remains Found In Septic Tank After Two-Year Disappearance, Partner Arrested

The skeletal remains of Esther Mulelenge, who disappeared two years ago in Njeru Municipality, were shockingly discovered in a septic tank behind the house she once shared with her partner, Ronald Kirya. Mulelenge had been living with Kirya in a house entrusted to them by Lydia Nandutu, a close family friend who left for Poland in 2021.

The house, located in Kizungu zone, Buikwe District, had been left in Kirya’s care while Nandutu worked abroad. A year into her stay in Poland, Nandutu said she received an unexpected message from Kirya, informing her that Mulelenge had left him to marry another man, abandoning their two-year-old son. “I thought it was plausible because they had constant fights,” Nandutu recalled, adding that she didn’t question Kirya’s claims at the time.

However, upon her return to Uganda in September 2024, Nandutu was taken aback by the state of her house. After Kirya officially handed it back to her, she began a deep cleaning process, assisted by a newly hired maid. As they cleaned, Nandutu decided to check the septic tank due to an unusual odor that had lingered around the property. While draining the tank, the maid discovered a large, suspicious cloth.

Upon closer inspection, they found a human skull wrapped inside the cloth. Shocked, they raised an alarm, drawing the attention of neighbors, who quickly contacted the local police. Authorities arrived and uncovered additional bones, suspected to belong to Mulelenge.

Esther’s now-teenage son, James, expressed long-held suspicions about Kirya’s story. “Whenever I asked about my mother’s whereabouts, Kirya would avoid answering directly. He always claimed she remarried but could never provide details,” James said, visibly shaken.

The police have since taken Kirya into custody, suspecting his involvement in the gruesome crime. According to Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa regional police spokesperson, DNA tests are underway to confirm whether the remains indeed belong to Esther Mulelenge. If confirmed, Kirya will face murder charges. Even if the DNA results don’t match Mulelenge, Kirya will still be held accountable for the body found on the premises and will need to explain what truly happened to Mulelenge.

The tragic discovery has left the community in shock, as many struggle to come to terms with the possibility that a woman they knew well may have met such a brutal fate right under their noses.