Butebo, Uganda: Police in Bukedi North have launched a murder investigation after the body of a 56-year-old businessman was discovered with a blood-stained panga beside it in Kabwangasi Town Council, Butebo District.
The deceased has been identified as Patrick Taika, a resident of Bugolo Village in Maizimasa Sub-County and a known businessman in the area.
According to police, the body was discovered on the morning of March 12, 2026, in Morutome Cell, Kabwangasi Town Council.
Residents who first came across the body alerted the local LC1 chairperson, Naulele Isima, who subsequently reported the incident to Kabwangasi Police Station at about 7:52 a.m.
Police say the body was found lying on its side and covered with a black coat. A blood-stained panga was discovered next to the body, raising suspicion of foul play.
Investigators also found a green polythene bag placed over the victim’s head, containing a black trouser and a long-sleeved blue-and-white striped shirt.
However, officers at the scene reported that no visible external injuries or cuts were immediately observed on the body.
The Bukedi North Regional Police spokesperson, ASP Wilfred Kyempasa, confirmed that detectives and Scene of Crime Officers visited the area to document evidence.
“Scene of Crime Officers and a team of detectives visited the location, documented the scene and removed the body for postmortem examination,” Kyempasa said.
Police have since registered the case as murder under CRB 022/2026 at Kabwangasi Police Station.
Authorities believe the suspected killing may have occurred during the night of March 11, 2026, but the exact circumstances surrounding the death remain unclear.
Investigators are currently working to establish the motive behind the killing, the exact cause of death and possible suspects involved.
No arrests had been announced by police by press time, but police have appealed to members of the public who may have information about the incident to report to Kabwangasi Police Station or the nearest police unit.
The body of the deceased has been taken for postmortem examination, the results of which are expected to help determine the exact cause of death.
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