Police are hunting for unidentified assailants who killed a couple, including a pregnant woman, and injured three other people in separate attacks in Mubende District during the early hours of Independence Day.The deceased have been identified as Ivan Sserwanja, 29, and his pregnant wife, Rose Nakalanzi, 26, residents of Lukaya Village in Kitenga Sub-county.
The three injured victims are Onesmus Tumwebaze and his wife, Agather Kukundakwe, residents of Kayanja Village, and Sophia Nalukenge, 40, of Lukaya Village. Lameck Kigozi, the Wamala Regional Police spokesperson, said the couple was killed in an attack at their home, where their bodies were discovered at about 10:00 a.m. According to Kigozi, a child from the neighbourhood went to the couple’s home and called out to them but received no response, despite finding the door open.
“The child later informed a neighbour, who went into the house and found Sserwanja and Nakalanzi lying lifeless in a pool of blood,” Kigozi said. Police were notified and dispatched officers to the scene, where a canine unit was deployed to assist with investigations. However, heavy rainfall reportedly hampered the operation. Kigozi said the couple had sustained multiple deep cut wounds to their heads. A bloodstained forked hoe was recovered from the scene as an exhibit.
Their bodies were later taken to Mubende Regional Referral Hospital for postmortem examinations. Residents said the couple dealt in coffee, raising suspicions that the attack could have been financially motivated. The assailants reportedly fled with a Bajaj Boxer motorcycle, registration number UFZ 589C, and two smartphones belonging to the deceased.
In a separate attack in Lukaya Village, Nalukenge was assaulted inside her home after waking up to relieve herself. Kigozi said an unidentified man dressed in black and armed with a blunt object struck her on the head. Nalukenge reportedly raised an alarm, awakening her elder daughter, who also called for help from neighbours. The assailant fled with three smartphones and one basic mobile phone.
The victim was rushed to Royal Medical Clinic for treatment. Police suspect the attacker may have gained entry into the house before the occupants locked the doors for the night and struck later. In another incident, unidentified assailants armed with a panga and a knife reportedly broke into the home of Tumwebaze and his wife, Kukundakwe, in Kayanja Village.
The attackers severely injured the couple before escaping with two mobile phones. Kigozi said a team of police officers led by Mubende District Police Commander Umar Mugerwa visited the crime scenes and launched investigations into the attacks.
“Police, in conjunction with the Wamala Regional Flying Squad, have embarked on investigations to help identify and apprehend the suspects,” Kigozi said. The attacks have heightened fear among residents, who are calling on police to intensify security patrols in the area to prevent further incidents and protect lives and property.
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