Kampala, Uganda | URN | No suspect has yet been identified in the beheading case of Rwandan ex-soldier Robert Kabera in Mpigi District. Police have said investigations continue into the killing of the refugee who had previously reported threats to his life.
Kabera, 50, popularly known as Sergeant Robert, was found dead in a eucalyptus plantation in Luwala Village, Kamengo Sub-county, where he was constructing a house.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said the body had been taken to Mulago City Mortuary for scientific identification as detectives pursued leads to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing.
According to accounts given by his family, Kabera arrived from Kampala at about 7 pm on October 16, accompanied by his regular boda boda rider, identified only as Innocent, before proceeding to a bar at Luwala trading centre. His brother, Victor Agaba, reportedly became concerned the following morning when Kabera could not be found. He checked the house and the bar, where an attendant said the musician had last been seen the previous night.
At about 2 pm on October 17, the village defence secretary alerted Agaba that a headless body had been discovered. Agaba reportedly identified the body as his brother’s by a scar on the right thumb and shoes recovered near the scene. Police officers who visited the scene found the body lying in a pool of blood.
Kabera was a former instructor and soloist with the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Army Jazz Band. The killing has sparked debate on social media about the safety of Rwandan refugees and asylum seekers in Uganda.
However, Rusoke cautioned against portraying Uganda as unsafe for Rwandan refugees before investigators establish the motive and circumstances of Kabera’s death.
Rusoke said Uganda was among the world’s major refugee-hosting countries and urged the public to allow police to complete their investigations before concluding who was responsible. Ugandan authorities have previously denied involvement in illegal renditions of Rwandan nationals, maintaining that deportations follow legal procedures.
Security agencies have also said some individuals returned to Rwanda were wanted over alleged criminal activities. Kabera’s death has revived scrutiny of previous cases involving Rwandan refugees and asylum seekers who reportedly faced abduction or forcible return from Uganda.
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