The Uganda Police Force has clarified circumstances surrounding the death of a suspect in custody following a reported online rental fraud case and subsequent mob action in Kiwatule, Kampala, correcting an earlier communication that had suggested the incident had not occurred.
According to police spokesperson ACP Kituuma, the incident was officially recorded at Kiwatule Police Station under Kira Road Division and is being investigated under CRB 064/2026.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident stemmed from a rental property transaction initiated through the online marketplace Jiji Uganda. A client reportedly searching for housing contacted a man identified as Lubega Fahad, 30, who allegedly posed as a property agent.
The complainant was shown a house in Kyanja and later agreed on rental terms of UGX 3 million per month. He was then allegedly instructed to pay UGX 12 million, covering three months’ rent and a security deposit, into an account held at Diamond Trust Bank in the name of Lubega Fahad.
Police say the payment was made on June 2, 2026, at around 2:00 PM at Metroplex Mall in Kampala. However, when the complainant later revisited the property, the caretaker reportedly informed him that the house was not available for rent but was instead on sale.
Attempts to reverse the transaction were unsuccessful, with the funds allegedly already withdrawn.
The complainant later reported the matter to police and received information that the suspect had been sighted at a bank. Upon returning, he reportedly found that Lubega Fahad had already been apprehended.
It is alleged that the suspect briefly escaped from the bank while under the watch of a security guard, prompting members of the public to pursue and assault him. Police say that by the time officers arrived, he had already been apprehended by members of the public and appeared weak, though no visible torture marks were observed.
He was subsequently taken to Kiwatule Police Station in Nakawa Division but later died shortly after arrival. His body was transferred to Mulago City Mortuary for postmortem examination.
The alleged fraud occurred in Kazinga Zone, Kiwatule Parish, Nakawa Division, within Kampala.
Police have condemned acts of mob justice, urging the public to always hand over suspects to lawful authorities for proper handling and due process.
“The Uganda Police Force strongly condemns acts of mob justice,” the statement read, adding that investigations are ongoing into both the alleged fraud and the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death.
Authorities also acknowledged a communication gap in their initial statement, which had misrepresented whether the incident had occurred, and pledged improved accuracy and accountability in public communication going forward.
