Kikuube, Uganda: Police have arrested the taxi driver accused of knocking dead Kikuube District LC5 Chairperson Peter Banura, ending a manhunt that began after the fatal crash on April 4.
The suspect, identified as Tom Mugabirwe, was arrested on Monday evening in Moyo District, West Nile, where he had reportedly been hiding since the incident at Butyamba Cell in Kikuube Town Council.
According to Albertine Region Police spokesperson SP Julius Hakiza, the suspect is currently being transported back to Kikuube to record a statement before prosecution processes begin.
“We arrested the suspect in Moyo District, where he has been hiding since the incident happened. Our Flying Squad team has been tracking him, and we successfully apprehended him,” Hakiza said.
Police confirmed that the case file will be submitted to the Resident State Attorney to guide on charges to be preferred against the suspect.
The suspect’s disappearance also drew in the vehicle owner, Solomon Sabiti, who was arrested last Thursday and arraigned before the Hoima Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of failure to keep proper employee records.
Sabiti was initially remanded to Kiryatete Government Prison but was later granted a cash bail of Shs1 million by Chief Magistrate George Kunihira on Tuesday.
Hakiza said the driver’s decision to flee triggered unnecessary legal and operational consequences. “The suspect’s actions led to his employer’s arrest. If he had reported himself immediately after the accident, a lot of resources used in tracking him down would have been saved,” he noted.
Police used the arrest to renew warnings against reckless road use, citing speeding and disregard for traffic regulations as major contributors to fatal crashes.
“Some boda boda riders and cyclists do not follow road signs and often cross roads carelessly. All road users must observe traffic regulations to prevent such tragedies,” Hakiza said.
According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025, road crashes remain one of the leading causes of death in the country, with speeding, reckless driving, and poor road discipline accounting for a significant proportion of fatalities.
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