Kampala Police Warn of Rising Fatal Kidnappings After Ntinda Woman's Murder

Police in Uganda have expressed serious concern regarding an increase in kidnappings that end tragically, particularly those driven by ransom demands. This alert comes in the wake of the murder of Lydia Babirye Sengendo, a 52-year-old woman from Ntinda-Kigowa, a suburb of Kampala.

Babirye was reported missing on June 4th. Her disappearance took a grim turn when her relatives received ransom calls from her own phone, demanding Shs 19 million. According to the Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, investigations led detectives to the prime suspect, Kagga Shafiq, in Kiteredde, Kakiri town council, Wakiso district.

Tragically, Babirye’s body was discovered at Kagga’s residence, found wrapped in a mattress and bound with ropes. Investigators also uncovered a freshly dug grave on the premises, believed to have been prepared for the victim’s burial.

This incident is not isolated. Recent months have seen a disturbing pattern of ransom-related abductions within the Kampala metropolitan area. In a similar case, Tonny Ssewaky///////////////y, a 25-year-old footballer, was kidnapped and murdered in Kakiri after his captors failed to secure a Shs 5 million ransom from his family.

Police are urging the public not to negotiate directly with kidnappers but to report all such incidents to law enforcement immediately. They emphasize that authorities possess the capabilities to track suspects and increase the chances of safe victim recovery. While overall reported kidnapping cases saw a slight decline nationally in the previous year, financial motives, including ransom, remain a primary driver for these crimes.

This article is based on information from The Observer (Uganda).