Da Dona
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
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Police have arrested seven suspects in connection with the murder of Patricia Kairu, a student at Kampala International University (KIU), whose body was discovered in Wakiso District last month.
Kairu’s body was found on August 4, 2026, in Kiyanja Cell, Nabbingo Ward, under circumstances that police are still investigating.
The first suspect was arrested in Kiyanja on September 3 after detectives established that he had arranged to meet Kairu in Kyengera on the day she was reportedly killed. His arrest led to the recovery of Kairu’s mobile phone the following day from a security guard at Seroma Hardware and his wife.
Preliminary investigations showed that the phone had been sold through a mobile phone shop in the basement of KK Plaza along Namirembe Road.
On September 8, detectives raided the plaza, arresting 37 people and recovering 360 second-hand mobile phones from 15 shops. Five of those arrested, four men and one woman, were linked to the shop where Kairu’s phone was allegedly sold.
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson ASP Luke Owoyesigyire said the seven suspects linked to the murder remain in custody as investigations continue to establish what happened to Kairu and the possible roles of those arrested.
Police say the suspects will be taken to court once investigations are complete.
The case has also renewed attention on previous violent deaths involving KIU students. In 2025, two men were arrested over the killing of 21-year-old Linette Karunga, a student at KIU’s Western Campus. In 2022, police investigated the death of final-year law student Adam Rukundo, who was found dead in his room in Konge, Makindye.
Meanwhile, the Police Annual Crime Report 2025 recorded 4,238 homicide cases, compared with 4,329 in 2024. Police recorded 4,268 homicide-related deaths in 2025, including 550 adult female victims and 148 female juveniles.
Daily Monitor UG
