Her family says the deceased had been sent by her grandmother to throw trash outside the gate at around 5pm, but she never returned home.
At first they thought she was out playing with friends, but at around 10pm they got the most dreadful phone call.
Her body had been found by residents, dumped in the bush.
Police says Namatovu was first raped by the assailants, before they strangled her with her underwear, stuffed her body in a sack and dumped it in the bushes on the roadside.
“I could not believe it until I saw the face and it was my girl,” her mother wailed helplessly.
“I have lived in this area for 15 years and have never hurt anybody.”
Related murders
Namatovu is now the third minor to be butchered in this manner in Lubatu village, in Nangabo.
Abbas Kyazze, one of the local leaders says two other girls were also killed in the same way.
According to Kyazze, in February this year, six year old Shadrat Naiga was also raped and strangled to death, while mid last year, Faiha Nampijja, also aged six suffered the same fate.
Another victim whose names are withheld was saved by residents, but the attackers had already raped her before they fled.
Witchcraft
Kyazze blames the cruel murders on the mushrooming witchcraft in the area.
“We suspect that this is all a part of the rising witchcraft in this area because there are several shrines that have popped up,” he said.
“We also believe that the killer is one person because the murders are almost identical. The victims are raped first and then strangled.”
Police says operations are set to commence in the area to find the assailants.
“We are going to work with residents to hunt down the wrong elements. We shall find them and they will face the law,” said Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman.
Onyango also urged parents in the area to be extra vigilant by ensuring that their children are home by nightfall.
