Police in Busoga East have launched a manhunt for a man identified only as Musa, who is accused of killing his friend, Gerald Kibira, following a violent altercation at Camp David Bar and Lounge in Iganga Municipality.
The incident occurred around midnight over the weekend when the two, previously seen enjoying themselves at the popular entertainment spot along Main Street Road, reportedly got into a heated dispute.
Eyewitnesses say the argument quickly turned physical, with Musa punching Kibira in the head.
According to Eunice Namutebi, a fast-food vendor who operates outside the bar, Musa continued to assault Kibira even after he had collapsed to the ground.
“Musa was hitting Kibira from the outside even when the latter collapsed helplessly to the ground,” she said.
Kibira was rushed by well-wishers to Iganga General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Following the incident, Musa fled the scene and remains at large.
The body of the deceased was taken to the hospital mortuary pending a postmortem examination.
Busoga East regional police spokesperson Michael Kafayo confirmed the incident and said that detectives have been dispatched to revisit the scene.
He noted that the bar is located near a police-monitored CCTV camera, which recorded the assault.
“Our ICT teams have already retrieved the CCTV footage, which captured the chaos as Kibira was being struck. This footage is under review and will form part of the evidence against the suspect,” Kafayo said.
Police are working with district commanders in neighboring regions in hopes of locating and apprehending Musa.
Meanwhile, the incident has sparked renewed concerns about security in nightlife venues.
Namutebi criticized the reliance on private bouncers, arguing that professional security personnel would be more effective in preventing such tragedies.
“There are limited fights at bars managed by police compared to those managed by bouncers. I think it should be a directive for all bar owners to hire professional security teams,” she said.
Attempts to get a comment from the management of Camp David Bar and Lounge were unsuccessful, as the operators declined to speak on the matter.
Police are appealing to the public to share any information that may lead to the arrest of the suspect.
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