Residents of Kakabano and Piida villages in Upper Bugongi Ward, Northern Division of Kabale Municipality, woke up in grief and shock on Wednesday morning after a well-known cobbler was found murdered and dumped by the roadside.
The deceased, identified only as Nsenga and believed to be in his 40s, was a resident of Piida village. His body was discovered at around 8:00 a.m. by passersby near the road connecting Kakabano to Piida village.
The body had deep cuts on the head, indicating that he had been attacked and killed by unknown assailants for reasons yet to be determined. This incident marks the second murder in the area in less than a month, raising alarm among the local population.
Residents have expressed growing concern over the deteriorating security situation and are calling on authorities to intensify efforts to track down the perpetrators. There is a renewed push for the resumption of community night patrols, particularly in response to an increase in reports of suspected criminals loitering in the area and ambushing residents at night.
The deceased was known locally as a humble cobbler who worked opposite Ebenezer Christian Nursery and Primary School. His murder has left the community deeply unsettled.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police spokesperson, confirmed the incident and reported that a team of police officers from Kabale Central Police Station (CPS) visited the scene. The team was led by the acting District Criminal Investigations Department (D/CID) officer and included Scenes of Crime Officers (SOCOs), homicide detectives, a K-9 unit, and other uniformed personnel.
Maate stated that a police dog was deployed at the scene to track suspects and locate any potential evidence. However, the effort was unsuccessful due to rainy weather conditions.
He further noted that the crime scene was thoroughly examined, documented, and processed. The victim’s body was retrieved and transported to Kabale Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination.
Maate appealed to the public to volunteer any information that could help identify and apprehend the perpetrators so they can be brought to justice.