By KT Reporter
The family of 18-year-old Erick Isabirye, a resident of Wakitaka Cell in Jinja North Division, Jinja City, is demanding answers following his tragic death one month ago. Isabirye, a Senior Four vacist at St. John SSS, Wakitaka, was killed on February 26, 2025, under mysterious circumstances that remain under investigation.
According to reports, Isabirye was picked up by his friend, Davis Kato, to attend a pre-wedding event, locally known as a “kasiki,” at the home of Kato’s mother, Margaret Budhugo, in Buwenda-Matala Cell, Jinja City. The event, which was scheduled to run from February 28 to March 1, 2025, was meant to celebrate Budhugo’s upcoming wedding.
A “kasiki” is a traditional pre-wedding celebration involving dance, music, and alcohol, lasting several days. On the night of February 26, Isabirye was reportedly sitting in the main house when a group of youths guarding the event attacked him. Eyewitnesses claim that the youths beat him severely before stabbing him twice in the stomach while the music was blaring.
Isabirye was said to have collapsed at Budhugo’s feet, crying for help, but his plea was ignored. The eyewitness further stated that the assailants wrapped Isabirye’s body in plastic bags and locked him inside the house, continuing the event as if nothing had happened. His friend Joshua Mukisa, who was also present, expressed his shock at the brutal turn of events.
Mukisa later claimed that, upon realizing the gravity of the situation, Budhugo arranged for a boda boda rider to rush Isabirye to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, where he was declared dead on the morning of February 27, 2025. Mukisa explained that, out of fear, he contacted Budhugo, who reportedly instructed him to keep quiet about the incident until after the wedding.
Kato, on the other hand, insists that Isabirye was killed by an unknown gang who had crashed the celebration, and that Budhugo was inadvertently caught up in the events. After news of the crime spread to Isabirye’s family, the police began an investigation into his death. Officers from Mafubira Police Station arrested Mukisa, who provided a statement that led to Budhugo being implicated.
However, at the time, Budhugo was in the middle of her wedding vows at Holy Cross Church in Bugembe. Police allowed her to complete the ceremony before questioning her, but according to investigators, she has not been seen since, complicating the investigation.
Isabirye’s family, particularly his mother, Aidah Namatende, is devastated by his untimely death. Namatende, who describes Isabirye as her youngest child with a bright future ahead, is demanding justice. She is frustrated by what she perceives as police inaction in arresting Budhugo, who, she believes, has crucial information about the crime.
Dennis Waiswa, another family member, shared similar frustrations, noting the inconsistencies in the accounts given by Kato and Mukisa. Waiswa pointed out that initial claims that Isabirye had stopped at Mafubira Trading Center before the event were quickly dismissed when people who had seen them together spoke out.
Kiira Regional Police Spokesperson James Mubi confirmed that an autopsy on Isabirye’s body revealed blunt force trauma to the head, likely caused by a sharp object. Additionally, the victim had several stab wounds to his stomach. Mubi said that the police have arrested some suspects in connection with the murder, and an investigation is ongoing to track down others still at large-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
