Budaka, Uganda: An 80-year-old man detained over allegations of defiling a two-year-old girl has died by suicide inside police cells at Budaka Police Station, authorities confirmed.
The deceased, identified as Ngamba Yakobo, a resident of Nawoja Village in Namengo Parish, Budaka Town Council, was found hanging at about 5:00 a.m. on March 31, 2026.
Police said Yakobo had been in custody since March 28 after he was handed over by community members who had threatened mob justice over the alleged defilement incident.
According to the Budaka Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the guard discovered that the suspect had used his T-shirt and coat to hang himself. A case of suspected suicide has since been opened, and investigations are ongoing.
Senior officers, including Deputy Regional CID officer for Bukedi North D/SP Acaya and Budaka District Police Commander SSP Bwire Moses, visited the scene alongside Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) from both district and regional levels.
Budaka Grade One Magistrate Kirala Martin and a medical officer from Budaka Health Centre IV examined the scene and oversaw the inquest process.
Bukedi North Regional Police Spokesperson ASP Kyempasa Wilfried confirmed that all legal procedures were followed, including the completion of Forms B, C, and D under the Inquest Act.
A post-mortem examination was conducted, after which the magistrate directed that the body be handed over to the family for burial.
Police said the coroner’s report and the full case file will be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further legal guidance.
The incident has sparked fresh concern over the safety and monitoring of suspects in police custody, particularly in high-risk cases.
Authorities have not yet indicated whether internal reviews will be conducted regarding custodial supervision at the facility.
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