Budaka, Uganda: Police in Budaka District have launched investigations into the death of a 54-year-old man who was found dead inside the cells at Naboa Town Council Police Station on Saturday morning.
The deceased has been identified as Gawaya David, a peasant from Namajja I Cell, Naboa Ward, in Naboa Town Council.
According to the Bukedi North Regional Police spokesperson, ASP Kyempasa Wilfred, Gawaya’s body was discovered at around 6:30 a.m. on July 18, 2026, during a routine inspection by the cells’ guard.
Police said PPC Mulogo Jacob, who was on duty as the cells guard, found the suspect lying motionless on the floor of the police cells before raising an alarm.
Officers confirmed that Gawaya had been arrested on Friday afternoon after he was accused of threatening members of the public with a panga during a dispute over Shs500,000, which he was alleged to have obtained by false pretences.
According to police, the complainant, Namatende Jannat, her husband Higenyi Moses, and Kyogola Defence, the Vice Chairperson of Namajja I Cell, escorted Gawaya to Naboa Town Council Police Station after the alleged incident.
A search conducted upon his arrest reportedly recovered a panga and a sachet of Simba alcoholic drink, after which he was detained.
Police registered a sudden death case before transferring the body to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for a postmortem examination to establish the cause of death.
ASP Kyempasa said detectives have recorded statements from fellow detainees, the cells guards and officers who were on duty as part of the ongoing investigations.
But the incident attracted public attention following the circulation of a video on social media alleging that Gawaya repeatedly pleaded for food while in custody but was not given anything to eat before he died.
Speaking to DailyExpress, Robert Gawaya, a councillor representing Naboa Town Council, said he had received similar information from a man identified only as Michael, who was reportedly detained in the same police cell as the deceased.
“The information I received from one of the people who shared the cell with the deceased is that he kept asking for food throughout the night, but he was allegedly not given any until he died,” Robert Gawaya said.
He, however, cautioned that the information was based on the account of a fellow detainee and urged the public to await the outcome of police investigations and the postmortem examination before drawing conclusions.
Police had not responded to the allegations in the video circulating on social media.
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