news 12 November 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)

Busia Trader Murdered Near Home in Suspected Ambush

A 40-year-old hawker in Busia District was found beaten and stripped to death near his rented home, prompting an immediate police investigation and one arrest. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/busia-trader-found-murdered-near-home-5668984

Residents of Shyamitumba West Village in Dabani Sub-county, Busia District, were left in shock on Thursday morning following the brutal murder of a 40-year-old local trader.

The victim, identified as Haruna Bashiza, worked as a hawker dealing in second-hand bedsheets within Busia Town. According to local authorities, he is suspected to have been ambushed by unknown assailants while returning to his rented residence.

Yusuf Ngolobe, the village chairperson, explained that he rushed to the scene after receiving an alert and found the victim severely beaten and stripped naked. Local leaders covered the body before notifying the police.

Francis Magambo, a fellow trader and chairperson of the Banyankole Association in Busia Town, noted that he had last interacted with Bashiza around 6:00 PM on Wednesday as the victim went about his daily business.

Bukedi Region Police spokesperson Moses Mugwe confirmed the incident, stating that law enforcement officers quickly launched a formal investigation. Detectives processed the crime scene and deployed a police sniffer dog to track potential leads. The dog led officers to a nearby residence approximately one kilometer away, resulting in the arrest of a suspect named Geoffrey Bukoma.

Bukoma has denied any involvement in the crime, claiming he was busy milking his cow behind his house when the gathering formed. Authorities transported him to Busia Police Station for further questioning.

Bashiza’s remains were transferred to Busia Health Centre IV to undergo a postmortem examination as grieving family members and friends try to come to terms with the tragedy.