Family members flee after whipping Rukungiri man to death

RUKUNGIRI - Rukungiri Police in Uganda's western region were Wednesday still hunting three family members including a woman and her son over allegedly whipping and flogging a man to death.

Emmanuel Saturday, 45, a casual worker and a resident of Matebe Cell in Kyamakanda ward, Buyanja sub-county, was caned, flogged and abandoned in critical condition. He died soon after.

According to the Police, the incident happened on March 10, 2025, at about 5:00am at Omuyanja cell in the same ward when the deceased was overpowered by a woman with the assistance of her son and a cousin.

Kigezi region police spokesperson Elly Maate identified the suspects as Goretti and her son was only identified as Ayebare and a cousin, Ponsiano. 

It is said that the area LC1 chairperson, Jerome Katabazi, informed the Police at Buyanja Police Station about a dead body abandoned at Bugiri Trading Centre. The Police later identified the body as that of Saturday, an employee of Thomas Baryamujura.

According to a preliminary report, the body was found with several fresh injuries and bruises to confirm that he was assaulted before he met his death but the cause of the assault was yet to be established.

According to Maate, Police detectives recorded statements from several eyewitnesses who insisted that the suspects were armed with sticks, bricks and fought the man until he was subdued and fell down but they continued assaulting him.

He said people had the trio warning each other of fleeing the scene fearing to be arrested.
Maate said the police later arrived at the scene, and removed the body and conveyed it to Rwakabengo Health Centre III pending postmortem examination. 

He said the suspects were yet to be arrested to answer charges of murder. Maate warned residents against taking the law into their own hands.