The Deputy Resident State Attorney was found dead at his residence in Nebbi after colleagues raised concern when he failed to appear in court, with police awaiting a postmortem to establish the cause of death.
The Deputy Resident State Attorney in Nebbi, Emmanuel Bumbi Naguyo, has been found dead at his residence in Riverview Cell, Central Ward, Nebbi Municipality, with police investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Naguyo was expected to appear in court on Monday morning to represent the State but failed to turn up, prompting concern among his colleagues.
According to colleagues, attempts to reach him by phone were unsuccessful, prompting one of them to visit his rented residence near Tokyo House.
The colleague reportedly found the door locked, and police were alerted. Officers broke down the door and found Naguyo dead inside the house.
His body was discovered at around 10am, according to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Nebbi District Police Commander SP James Mwesigye described the death as sudden, saying the cause had not yet been established.
“For now, we term his passing as a sudden death. We haven't yet established what happened to him, but we found him dead in the house after breaking the door,” Mwesigye said.
He said police had been informed after Naguyo failed to respond to calls, prompting officers to force their way into the residence to establish what had happened.
“We cannot establish the exact cause and time of his death. We don't know whether it was a heart attack or another underlying disease, but for now, his death is a sudden one until we establish the cause of death after postmortem,” he said.
Naguyo's body was taken to Nebbi General Hospital mortuary pending a postmortem examination.
The ODPP said it was deeply saddened by the death of one of its State Attorneys, describing the news as a shock to the institution.
In a statement, ODPP Public Relations Officer Jacquelyn Okui said Naguyo's body was found by a colleague at his residence at about 10am on Monday after inquiries were made about his absence from work.
“The unfortunate news has shocked the ODPP fraternity. The Office extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, relatives, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time,” the statement said.
The ODPP described his death as a loss to the institution and extended its sympathies to those mourning him.
Naguyo undertook postgraduate legal studies at the Law Development Centre in Kampala between 2016 and 2017. He was enrolled as an advocate and was a member of the Uganda Law Society.
According to the ODPP, he had served as a State Attorney for three years, working as Deputy Resident State Attorney in Nebbi.
The office said his contribution to the institution and his colleagues would be remembered with gratitude.
Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death are ongoing, with the postmortem expected to help establish the cause of death. Funeral arrangements are expected to be communicated later.