Police in Jinja City are investigating circumstances under which a 75-year-old woman was burnt to death inside her house allegedly by her children who have since gone into hiding.

The incident happened on Wednesday at Nakanyonyi Village, Bukwali Zone, Bugembe Town Council Jinja North Division City, and was reported to police by the area vice chairperson, Mr Denis Bananywa.

The Kiira Region Police Spokesperson, Abbey Ngako, identified the deceased as Jessica Nakayenga, a resident of the same village.

According to Mr Ngako, preliminary findings suggest that Nakayenga was murdered after she declined to surrender part of her land to her children identified as Fatuma Najjuma, in her early 40s, and another only identified as Bashir.

“They wanted to sell the land and share the money between themselves but the old woman refused. They had found a buyer who was offering a high price,” said Mr Ngako, who blamed local leaders in the area for allegedly keeping this particular land wrangle to themselves.

“The case had been brought to the local leaders’ attention several times but never involved the police,” he noted. Her body was taken to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for autopsy as investigations continue.