At least 55 people lost their lives in Uganda during the three days surrounding Christmas, according to the police. The deaths occurred between December 24 and 26, 2023, under various circumstances.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke shared details about the incidents. He said 12 people were assaulted. Three were killed by hacking. Two people drowned. Two were lynched. Seven were hit with blunt objects. Six victims were stabbed. Five people committed suicide. Two were strangled. Eight died from suspected natural causes. Four deaths were due to reckless or negligent acts. One person died from food poisoning, while another was suspected to have been a victim of arson. Two other deaths remain under investigation with no clear cause identified.
Rusoke also mentioned that there were 55 deaths from 91 reported cases. This is a small drop from the 110 cases recorded in the same time frame in 2022.
During the Christmas period, police arrested 19 suspects in connection with various incidents. One notable case involved kidnapping for ransom in Kyegegwa, where a four-year-old child was abducted. The child’s mother received a ransom demand of Shs 15 million, prompting her to report the matter to police. Using intelligence, authorities tracked down and arrested Ivan Natukunda on December 24. During questioning, Natukunda said the child was killed. He then led investigators to the main suspect, Robert Rwabajungu, also called Kadeyideyi. Both suspects are currently in police custody.
Despite these incidents, Rusoke concluded that the Christmas period was largely peaceful across Uganda.
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