Paul Mugerwa Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for the Murder of Prominent Ugandan Doctor Dr. Wilfred Olila

In a ruling delivered on Monday, April 13, 2026, by Lady Justice Sarah Birungi Kalibbala rejected Mugerwa’s plea bargain in which he had pleaded guilty to all charges on February 24, 2026 and asked the court to hand him only 30 years in prison. The judge described the offence as grave, premeditated, and deserving of a stiff deterrent sentence that would serve as a strong warning to others.

Justice Kalibbala noted that Mugerwa had convicted himself through his guilty plea. However, she emphasised that the mitigating factors presented by his lawyer could not outweigh the seriousness of the crime. The defence had pleaded for leniency, highlighting that Mugerwa had a pregnant wife and a young innocent child who needed their father’s care, they also told the court that Mugerwa was a productive member of society who had initiated community projects aimed at improving the lives of young girls in Eastern Uganda.

The judge was unmoved. “Mugerwa killed a very prominent person, a lecturer at Soroti University, a specialized doctor, and a businessman operating a private clinic who was committed to helping his family and the community,” she stated.

According to the ruling, after strangling Dr. Olila to death, Mugerwa disposed of evidence and fled to Gomba District, where he went into hiding to avoid arrest. A post-mortem examination confirmed that the victim died as a result of strangulation.

Justice Kalibbala ruled that the crime was serious and that Mugerwa needed to be kept away from society for a long time.

She sentenced him to 40 years for murder and 20 years for aggravated robbery. Taking into account one year and seven days already spent on remand, Mugerwa will serve 38 years, 11 months, and 7 days for murder and 18 years, 11 months, and 7 days for aggravated robbery.

The incident occurred in January 2025 when Dr. Wilfred Olila was lured from his New Moroto Clinic in Lira City. He was kidnapped near Lira Hotel in the Senior Quarters area. His body was later discovered on January 17, 2025, dumped along the Otuboi–Abalanga Road in Ogolai Village, Kalaki District.

Dr. Wilfred Olila, a highly respected otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist), served as a senior consultant at Lira Regional Referral Hospital and lectured at Soroti University. His brutal murder triggered widespread outrage across Uganda’s medical community and beyond. The Uganda Medical Association strongly condemned the killing and called for a swift, thorough investigation and justice for the perpetrators.