The body of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Julius Ahimbisibwe, a former commander of the Jinja Road Police Division in Kampala, was recovered from a septic tank at his residence in Nakitokolo, Nsangi, Wakiso District.
Reports indicate the body was discovered early on Easter Monday. According to the initial statement filed at Nsangi Police Station, the body was found with a red rope wrapped around the head and neck.
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Ahimbisibwe had been on suspension since March 2024 after allegedly shooting and injuring his ex-wife during a domestic altercation at their home along Masaka Road. Since then, he had reportedly been seeking reinstatement but with no success.
Police say Abdul Ziwa, who was with the deceased’s wife at the time, reported the incident around 2:00 a.m., leading officers to the scene, where the body was retrieved. Investigators are now working to establish whether the death was a case of suicide.
Efforts to get an official comment from Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango were unsuccessful. However, those close to Ahimbisibwe revealed he had been struggling with both personal and professional issues.
“He had reached out to one of our mutual friends, a former colleague at Jinja Road, asking for financial help. He had been battling depression and alcohol dependency,” one police friend shared.
His death adds to the increasing list of police officers who have taken their own lives in recent years—a trend that has raised alarms within the force and mental health circles.
Psychologist Edward Bantu, who once led mental wellness evaluations among officers prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, stressed the need for emotional support frameworks within the police.
“Uniformed officers face personal hardships like anyone else but often lack people to confide in,” he said. Bantu called for regular forums where officers can openly discuss their struggles and for leadership to create mechanisms to address those concerns.
While early findings suggest suicide, some within the police and general public suspect possible foul play. Uganda has witnessed several high-profile cases in which murder victims were disposed of in septic tanks.
In September 2024, the body of Esther Mulelenge—who had been missing for two years—was found in a septic tank in Njeru Municipality. In February 2022, the bodies of two individuals, including Patrick Turyasingura, were discovered at a residence in Kabowa. In 2021, 63-year-old Francis Onebe was arrested for allegedly killing his wife and concealing her body in a septic tank at their home in Muyenga.
A notable earlier case occurred in 2011, when businessman Tom Nkurungira, also known as Tonku, was convicted for murdering his ex-girlfriend Brenda Karamuzi and hiding her body in a septic tank. The Court of Appeal upheld his death sentence in a 2015 ruling, citing overwhelming evidence from prosecutors.
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