Police have arrested five suspects in connection with the killing of two farm workers during a violent robbery in Kassanda District, a case that shocked residents and triggered weeks of intensive investigations.
The suspects are accused of taking part in an armed attack on the home of a farmer identified as Lukwago in Lukira Village, Myanzi Sub-county, on July 2. During the raid, assailants allegedly killed two employees before fleeing with seven bags of coffee and an undisclosed amount of cash.
Wamala Regional Police spokesperson SSP Lameck Kigozi identified the victims as 48-year-old Ssali Joseph and his wife, Mariza Regina, describing the incident as one that left the local community traumatized.
According to police, Joseph’s body was discovered a day after the attack by residents led by the area’s Local Council I chairperson, who reported the matter to Myanzi Police Station. Investigators later recovered Regina’s body on July 8 in neighboring Kyaseta Village, where it had been partially buried.
Kigozi said detectives followed multiple leads gathered from the crime scene, eventually identifying and arresting one suspect in Masaka City before tracking down four others in Myanzi Sub-county.
The suspects have been identified as Joan Nakavuma, 38, of Katwe in Masaka City; Kasumba Babangida, 26; Meddy Nsereko, also known as Baamu Mukooki, 32; Damian Kule, 24; and John Yamulemye, also known as Doctor, 23. The four male suspects are all residents of Kalama LC I in Myanzi Parish.
Police said investigators recovered several exhibits during the operation, including motorcycles believed to have been used by the suspects before and after the robbery. Officers believe the recovered items will strengthen the evidence as the case moves toward prosecution.
The arrests highlight the increasing use of technology in criminal investigations, according to Kigozi, who said police now rely on forensic analysis, CCTV footage, tracking technology, canine units and the Flying Squad alongside conventional detective work to solve serious crimes.
Despite those advances, he emphasized that public cooperation remains essential, urging residents to continue sharing information that could help investigators prevent crime and identify offenders.
The five suspects remain in police custody as detectives finalize investigations. The case file will be submitted to the Resident State Attorney in Kassanda for legal review before charges are filed in court.
Police said investigations are continuing and warned that anyone else found to have participated in the robbery or the killings will also be arrested and prosecuted.
