Elderly Man Strangled to Death, Son Survives Attack in Kanungu

Police in Kanungu District are investigating the killing of an 83-year-old man who was strangled to death by unknown assailants, while his son survived a brutal attack at their home in Butogota Town Council.

The deceased has been identified as Joseph Rwakaremera, a resident of Kebiremo Village in Northern Ward, Butogota Town Council. His son, Swaibu Rwebisengye, 18, sustained injuries during the attack.

According to police, the incident occurred on June 2, 2026, at around 8:30 p.m. while the father and son were in their kitchen.

Three unidentified men armed with pangas reportedly stormed the home and attacked the pair. Two of the assailants allegedly grabbed Rwakaremera and strangled him, while the third dragged Swaibu into the main house.

The attacker reportedly cut Swaibu on the forehead, pushed him under a bed and guarded him as the other two assailants continued attacking his father.

After the attack, the suspects fled through a nearby coffee plantation.

Swaibu later managed to alert his brother, identified only as Kayabuki, who reported the matter to Butogota Police Station.

A police sniffer dog was deployed to aid investigations, but detectives were unable to obtain useful leads because the crime scene had already been tampered with.

The body of the deceased was taken to Kanungu Health Centre IV for a postmortem examination.

Preliminary investigations indicate that Rwakaremera had been involved in a long-standing domestic dispute with some of his children and his first wife, who resides in Kanyantorogo, over ownership of a piece of land.

Police say that in May 2026, Rwakaremera was allegedly assaulted by some of his children and a grandson. The matter was reported to Kanyantorogo Police Station but was later resolved through reconciliation.

According to Kigezi Regional Police spokesperson ASP Elly Maate, three of the deceased’s children and one grandson have since been arrested to assist police with investigations into the killing.

“Investigations are continuing to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident and identify all those responsible,” Maate said.

Police say inquiries into the murder are ongoing.

Read Next Article