Tragedy in Kyotera, mentally ill man hacks four family members to death
According to Salapiyo Kaggwa, the chairperson of Biwerere Ward, the suspect had been living with the victims for a significant period and had been diagnosed with a mental illness years ago.
The Territorial Police in Kyotera District are investigating a shocking incident in which four family members were allegedly hacked to death by a 30-year-old man believed to suffer from a mental illness.
The victims, all residents of Biwerere Ward, Kasaali Town Council, have been identified as 65-year-old Idah Nabuma, Hassan Ssebufu (9), Rashima Nansubuga (2), and Abdul Ssemujju (7). Three of the victims died on the spot during the attack on Sunday, while Ssemujju succumbed to his injuries on Monday at a clinic in Bukunda Trading Centre.
According to Salapiyo Kaggwa, the chairperson of Biwerere Ward, the suspect had been living with the victims for a significant period and had been diagnosed with a mental illness years ago. He was reportedly on medication, but family members may have neglected to ensure he continued taking it.
“The family members must have failed to remind him to take his medication, which worsened his mental condition and led to the tragic loss of four lives,” Kaggwa said.
The incident has left the community in shock and raised concerns about how the suspect’s mental health condition was managed.
Mr. Nsubuga Gonzaga, chairperson of the neighboring Nkenge Ward, questioned the family’s handling of the situation. “If people insist that he [the suspect] is just mentally sick, why couldn’t the family members take him to a place where his mental health condition could be handled?” he asked.
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson Twaha Kasirye confirmed the arrest of the suspect, stating that further medical evaluation will determine the extent of his mental condition. “We had to arrest the suspect after the incident, but we can’t tell whether he is mentally sick or not. It will be the doctors to tell us,” he said.
Ms. Fauzia Nairuba, the Kyotera District Community Liaison Officer, urged families and communities to take a proactive approach to mental health issues. “Authorities are there to help where the community can’t. People should make use of them to avoid similar incidents in the future,” she emphasized.
The tragedy highlights the rising cases of violent crimes in Uganda. According to the 2023 annual police crime report, 266 of the 4,248 homicide cases recorded in 2023 were caused by hacking—an increase from 231 cases in 2022.
Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.
