High Court Warns Police and Army Chiefs Over Missing Activist Sam Mugumya

The Kampala High Court has issued a stern warning to the Inspector General of Police and military chiefs regarding the ongoing disappearance of opposition activist Sam Mugumya. Presiding Civil Division Judge Simon Peter Kinobe cautioned that top security officials could face contempt of court proceedings if they continue to defy judicial directives to locate and produce the activist.

Mugumya’s legal team from Kiiza and Mugisha Advocates states that armed operatives seized the activist in Mbarara on August 26, 2025. According to the petition, he has since been held incommunicado at a Special Forces Command facility without access to family, legal counsel, or medical professionals.

During recent court proceedings, state attorneys representing the Attorney General requested an additional three weeks to complete investigations and submit a comprehensive report. The delay was attributed to incomplete inter-agency communication between the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.

However, Judge Kinobe expressed frustration over the prolonged delays and rejected attempts by state lawyers to shift accountability exclusively onto the police. The judge emphasized that previous orders explicitly bound both military and police leadership to investigate the matter.

Despite official denials from security agencies regarding Mugumya’s detention, public scrutiny remains intense following leaked footage reportedly showing the activist in a severely weakened physical state. Judge Kinobe granted the final three-week window for compliance, stressing that every passing day a citizen remains missing under unexplained circumstances is unacceptable. The case has been adjourned to November 30, 2026, for further hearings.

For more details on this developing story, read the original report on The Observer.