Apac Municipality, Uganda: Police in Apac District have launched investigations into the suspected murder of a seven-month-old baby whose body was discovered half-buried in Apac Municipality, triggering shock and grief among residents and renewing fears over child safety in the area.
The grim discovery was made on February 3, 2026, after children who had gone fishing and hunting noticed what appeared to be a human foot protruding from the soil and raised an alarm that drew residents to the scene.
“One of the children ran to us shouting that there was something strange on the ground. When we reached there, we saw a foot sticking out of the soil. That is when panic started,” said a resident who declined to be named.
Okuta Maxwell, one of the first adults to arrive, said a crowd had already gathered by the time he reached the scene.
“The sight was disturbing. I immediately informed our LC1 chairperson because it was clear this was a serious matter,” Okuta said.
The area LC1 chairperson, Okello Tom Richard (65), said he promptly alerted police. “As leaders, we could not handle such a case locally. I immediately contacted Apac Central Police Station so that professionals could take over,” Okello said.
Police later cordoned off the area as detectives commenced investigations.
North Kyoga Regional Police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema confirmed the incident, describing it as a suspected homicide.
“This is a very unfortunate and disturbing case. Preliminary findings indicate that the child had been missing since January 24, 2026, shortly after the general elections,” Okema said.
According to police, the baby is alleged to have left home with his mother, Namboze Robinah, and a babysitter identified only as Monica, after which none of them returned.
“It is alleged that the mother left home with the child and a babysitter, but since that day, none of them has been seen or heard from. This raised serious concerns,” Okema said.
The child’s father, Owino Mathew, is reported to have made repeated efforts to trace his child through relatives and community members without success.
A team of detectives led by the Deputy District Criminal Investigations Officer, alongside homicide officers, visited the scene, where the District Scenes of Crime Officer documented evidence before the body was retrieved.
The remains were conveyed to Apac Main Hospital mortuary for postmortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.
Police say statements have been recorded from key witnesses and that active efforts are underway to trace the whereabouts of the child’s mother and the babysitter.
“We are actively searching for the mother and the babysitter to help us understand what exactly happened. Their accounts are critical to this investigation,” Okema said, urging anyone with information to quietly cooperate with police.
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