Kisoro, Uganda: Three police officers attached to Nyabwishenya Police Station and two civilians in Nyabwishenya Sub-county, Kisoro District, have been arrested over the alleged secret burial of a Congolese national who reportedly died while in police custody.
The suspects, currently detained at Kisoro Central Police Station, include Corporal Wickliffe Musabimana, the officer in charge of Nyabwishenya Police Station, Police Constables Apeti Kizito and Moris Yebuze, alongside civilians John Bosco Nsabimana and Mpunuseni Hakuzimana.
The case revolves around the death of a 30-year-old Congolese national identified only as Uwimana, a resident of Bwisha Chiefdom in Rutshuru Territory, North Kivu Province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to preliminary reports, Uwimana was on the evening of May 6, 2026, drinking alcohol with a group of people led by Nsabimana and Hakuzimana on the Ugandan side of the border when a disagreement reportedly broke out.
During the gathering, the group allegedly accused him of threatening violence, prompting the matter to be reported to Nyabwishenya Police Station.
Police reports indicate that Uwimana was subsequently arrested and detained at the station. However, investigators say he was allegedly assaulted during the arrest by both civilians and police officers.
On the morning of May 7, Uwimana was reportedly found dead inside the police cells.
Investigations further indicate that instead of formally reporting the death to their superiors, the officers allegedly connived with civilians to secretly remove the body from custody and bury it at night on land belonging to outgoing Bufumbira North Member of Parliament, John Ninzeyimana Kamara.
Authorities have since launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death, suspected torture, abuse of office, destruction of evidence, and the alleged unlawful disposal of the body.
The arrests come amid growing public scrutiny over conduct of security personnel while handling suspects in custody.
According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025, cases involving deaths in custody and assaults by law enforcement officers continued to attract concern from human rights defenders and oversight institutions, with renewed calls for accountability and adherence to lawful detention procedures.
Police had not yet issued an official statement on possible charges by press time.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
