Police in Buikwe District are investigating the suspected suicide of a 25-year-old teacher, Kitimbo Mwesigwa, who was being held at Lugazi Police Station on charges of aggravated defilement.
According to a statement released by Ssezibwa Region Police spokesperson SP Hellen Butoto, the incident occurred on the evening of July 1, 2025, at around 5:56 p.m. inside the police cells at Lugazi Police Station, located in Lugazi Municipality.
Mwesigwa, a resident of Nakirimira Village in Kityerera Sub-county, Mayuge District, allegedly hanged himself using his shirt, which he tied to the window bars of the toilet within the detention cell.
Preliminary investigations reveal that Mwesigwa was a teacher at Hopeland Junior School in Kitoola, Lugazi, where he is accused of defiling a 14-year-old Primary Six pupil in March 2025.
The act reportedly led to severe reproductive health complications, including a condition that caused the victim to lose bladder control.
Despite the grave nature of the incident, the school administration allegedly chose not to inform the authorities. Instead, they attempted to manage the child’s condition privately.
The matter only came to light in May when the girl returned home for the holidays and shared her experience, prompting her family to report the case to Lugazi Police under SD 21/02/05/2025.
Upon initiating a full investigation under CRB 196/2025, police established that Mwesigwa had fled the school after learning that administrators had discovered the incident and convened a disciplinary meeting.
In response, law enforcement arrested the school’s Head Teacher, Director of Studies, and School Director on June 25. They were charged with being accessories after the fact of defilement and conspiracy to commit a felony and appeared in court the following day.
After nearly a week-long manhunt, Mwesigwa was located and apprehended on June 30 from Sechel Junior School in Kakiri, Wakiso District. He was transferred to Lugazi Police Station, where he was found dead the next day.
Police say a case of suicide by hanging has been opened, and investigations are ongoing. Statements have been recorded from eight inmates who were sharing the detention cell with Mwesigwa, along with the officer assigned to guard the cells at the time.
The deceased’s body has been transported to Kawolo General Hospital for a postmortem examination to confirm the cause of death.
SP Butoto noted that further updates will be shared as inquiries into the incident continue.
English 