By Jako David Waluluka
Jolin Kanoheri, 40, now finds herself at the centre of a high-profile murder investigation—accused of taking the life of her youngest son, Nganwa Rugari. In the court of public opinion, the verdict has been swift and harsh. Painted as a murderer by a calculated media campaign, Jolin stands nearly alone, with only her conscience to defend her.
Nganwa died on April 2, 2025, under still-murky circumstances. According to authorities, Jolin, with the alleged help of her 24-year-old housemaid Robinah Nabbanja, played a role in the boy’s death.
On April 4, Jolin and Robinah were taken into custody at Jinja Road Police Station. A week later, on April 11, they were formally charged. The police allege that Jolin, a resident of Mutungo Zone 8 in Nakawa Division, murdered her child with intent, invoking Sections 171 and 172 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 128. Robinah faces charges as an accessory after the fact, under Section 189, for allegedly helping Jolin avoid justice after the boy’s death.
The two were arraigned before the Nakawa Magistrate’s Court, where they denied all allegations. They were remanded to Luzira Prison until May 6, when the case will return for mention.
As she was led away from court, an emotional Jolin declared:
“God knows I could never murder my baby. I’ve been both mother and father to my children since day one. You need to know the truth: I am innocent. Whatever they say, I am innocent.”
But the story doesn’t end there. Behind this tragedy is a tangled web of domestic strife, bitter allegations, and an unraveling marriage.
Jolin had been married for 16 years to businessman Chris Rugari, who also serves as Zimbabwe’s Honorary Consul to Uganda. Together, they had five children—born in 2010, 2013, 2015, 2022, and 2024 (the last being Nganwa). To outsiders, theirs was a life of luxury—plush holidays, lavish gifts, and exotic getaways to places like Dubai. Yet behind closed doors, their relationship had been quietly crumbling.
Reports suggest that the couple had long since separated bedrooms, amid allegations of adultery, sexual estrangement, contested paternity, child neglect, and even a medical hysterectomy. Speculation of affairs on both sides further inflamed tensions.
The alleged murder began as a case of negligence, when Nganwa reportedly fell from the first floor of the couple’s home. But what initially seemed like a tragic accident soon evolved into a criminal investigation. Authorities now claim the child’s death was not accidental, though a final verdict will rest on forensic evidence and a full legal process.
The case has raised more questions than answers. Why did DNA results reportedly confirm paternity for children born after the couple’s physical separation? And why did the tragedy unfold amid an escalating property dispute between Jolin and Chris?
For many, the most haunting question remains: why would Jolin, a woman whose access to her husband’s estate appeared secure through her children, risk it all by allegedly destroying the very foundation of that security—her own child?
Only time, and the court, can untangle the truth from speculation.
