By KT Reporter
A 26-year-old man has died while in police custody in Rubanda District. The deceased, Gilbert Ayebare, a resident of Habuhinga Village in Ikamiro Parish, Muko Sub County, had been arrested on allegations of stealing a mobile phone. According to police, Ayebare was arrested on March 3, 2026, at around 6:00 p.m. and detained at Muko Police Station.
He was accused of stealing a phone belonging to Ronah Ninsiima. It is alleged that the phone had been stolen from Ninsiima’s home by Avitus Tayebwa, who later handed it to Ayebare. On the same day, he was transferred to Rubanda Central Police Station for further management. However, on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at about 10:30 a.m., fellow suspects in the cells alerted the guard that Ayebare was unwell.
The cells guard informed his superiors and the suspect was rushed to Muko General Hospital for treatment. He was later referred to Kabale Regional Referral Hospital. Ayebare was pronounced dead at around 2:00 p.m. Elly Maate, the Kigezi Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident, saying investigations into the circumstances of the death are ongoing.
This is not the first time a suspect has died in police custody in Rubanda District. In March 2018, Gerald Wednesday, a 19-year-old resident of Nyarurambi Cell in Rubanda Town Council, died while detained at Muko Police Station. Wednesday had been arrested alongside another suspect, Godfrey Owobugabe, over allegations of breaking into a shop at Nfasha Trading Centre in Muko Sub County and stealing about four million shillings.
According to then Rubanda District Police Commander Tai Ramadhan, Wednesday reportedly hanged himself using a piece of blanket while in detention. In December 2019, another suspect, Erasmus Twinomujuni, a resident of Kacerere in Bufundi Sub County, was found dead in detention cells at Bufundi Police Post. Twinomujuni had been arrested on charges of threatening violence and assault after he was accused of assaulting and threatening to cut his mother, Justine Zinkubire.
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