No suspect has been arrested in connection with the beheading of Rwandan ex-soldier Robert Kabera in Mpigi District, police have said, as 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 7pm 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, with some users drawing parallels with previous cases in which Rwandan nationals were reportedly abducted, detained or forcibly returned to their home country.
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.
One prominent case is that of former Rwandan presidential bodyguard Lieutenant Joel Mutabazi, who sought asylum in Uganda before being returned to Rwanda in 2013. He was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also documented allegations involving Rwandan refugees and asylum seekers who were reportedly abducted from Uganda between 2017 and 2019 and later appeared in detention in Rwanda.
These cases have contributed to concerns among some Rwandan exiles about their safety while living outside their home country. However, investigators have not established whether Kabera’s killing was connected to his nationality, refugee status or previous security concerns. Kabera fled Rwanda for Uganda with his wife in November 2020 and had reportedly expressed fears for his safety on several occasions.
On September 11, 2021, he wrote to local authorities seeking protection, alleging that accusations circulating about him in Rwandan media were politically motivated. His local council leaders subsequently forwarded the appeal to police and refugee protection agencies.
On October 23, 2023, the chairperson of Sserwanga Village LC1 in Mengo Parish, Kampala Central Division, wrote to Old Kampala Police Station introducing Kabera as a refugee resident and reporting that he had been attacked by three men on Rubaga Road. The men reportedly fled in a black car without number plates after threatening to kill him.
Police say the earlier reports form part of the ongoing investigation into his death. Investigators are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing, identify those responsible, and determine whether the murder was connected to Kabera’s previous security concerns. Police have not announced any arrests in connection with the case-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
