Police have arrested two more suspects over the mob killing of national rugby player Sydney Gongodyo, raising the total number of suspects in custody to 10.
Gongodyo, 27, played as a forward for Uganda’s national 15s rugby team, the Rugby Cranes. He also played for Stanbic Black Pirates Rugby Club.
A mob beat him to death on Friday, June 5, 2026, in Bukoto, a Kampala suburb.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Racheal Kawala confirmed the latest arrests in an evening update on Tuesday, June 9. She identified the suspects as Mugwiisa Obed and Owino Joseph, a local security guard.
Police said footage captured Mugwiisa wearing a yellow T-shirt and carrying a large log during the fatal attack.
“During interrogation, [Mugwiisa] led investigators to a local laundry (dobbi) where he had taken the yellow T-shirt he was seen wearing on the day of the attack. The garment was subsequently recovered,” Ms Kawala said.
Ten Suspects Now in Custody
The two suspects join eight others whom police arrested earlier.
They include Ssebagala Noordin, Ayebazibwe Roden, Namukose Juliet, Elly Mondoni, Herbert Twinomujuni, Katsigazi Perigrino, Darlious Tayebwa, and Hannington Tugume.
Preliminary investigations show that a chaotic crowd attacked Gongodyo after falsely accusing him of snatching a woman’s handbag.
Gongodyo was also a student at Makerere University.
Police intervened and rushed him to Mulago National Referral Hospital. However, he died shortly after arrival due to severe injuries.
Rugby Fraternity Mourns Gongodyo
Gongodyo’s death shocked Uganda’s sports community. It also forced the postponement of the Uganda Rugby Premiership semi-final matches.
Uganda Rugby Union President Godwin Kayangwe described his death as a “monumental loss to the sport.”
Police said investigations remain active as officers work to identify more people linked to the attack.
“Efforts are ongoing to identify, trace, and apprehend other individuals believed to have participated in the incident. We remain committed to ensuring that all those responsible for this criminal act are held accountable,” Ms. Kawala stated.
She also warned that taking part in a lynch mob is a capital offense.
Police Warn Against Mob Justice
Gongodyo’s death has renewed concern over vigilantism and mob action in Uganda.
Law enforcement authorities say criminals often exploit crowd violence to attack innocent people. They also use such chaos to steal from victims or settle personal grudges.
According to the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report 2025, mob action accounted for 950 registered murder cases. This represented 22.4 per cent of the 4,238 homicides recorded across the country.
The report identified Kampala Metropolitan as a major hotspot for vigilante justice.
It also noted that most victims die after attackers use blunt objects, stones, or wooden planks. Many incidents start over allegations of petty offences, including theft.
Human rights groups have previously linked the trend to public distrust in the justice system. They have also cited corruption and delayed prosecutions as key drivers of mob violence.
However, police maintain that public frustration does not justify murder.
Security agencies say all suspects identified in video footage or linked to the Bukoto attack will face murder charges in court as investigations continue.
