KIBOGA — Police in Kiboga District have arrested three people in connection with the death of a 32-year-old man whose body was found hanging from a coffee tree in what initially appeared to be a case of suicide.
The deceased, identified as Ciprian Kwitonda, a peasant and resident of Ssesamu Village in Ntwetwe Sub-county, was discovered dead on June 16, 2026.
However, investigators have since raised doubts about the circumstances surrounding the death of the young man commonly known as Sipiryano and are now treating the case as a suspected murder.
According to Wamala Regional Police spokesperson Lameck Kigozi, the incident was reported to Ntwetwe Sub-county Police Station by Didas Muzarugamba, the chairperson of Ssesamu Village.
“Our officers visited and documented the scene, recorded witness statements, and examined the body before handing it over to relatives for burial. However, evidence gathered during investigations suggested that the death may not have been a suicide as initially believed,” SSP Kigozi said.
Preliminary investigations indicate that before his death, Kwitonda reportedly confronted his estranged wife, Esther Mukakamanzi, at a local market, where an argument allegedly broke out.
Police say the confrontation escalated into an assault, prompting Mukakamanzi to report the matter to local authorities.
Investigators further established that the deceased later followed his wife to the residence of the village chairperson, which also operates as a bar, where another confrontation allegedly occurred.
“It is alleged that the deceased attempted to continue the fight at the chairman's home. During the confrontation, he was assaulted by his wife and another individual identified as Innocent Munyembanza,” Kigozi said.
Witnesses told police that Kwitonda appeared to be partially intoxicated at the time of the incident.
Police say Kwitonda's mother, Perusi Mukahenori, who was reportedly present during the altercation, advised her son to return home.
However, he never made it back.
Hours later, residents discovered his body hanging from a coffee tree.
According to investigators, evidence collected from the scene and witness testimonies have cast doubt on the theory that Kwitonda took his own life.
“Evidence collected at the scene and statements from witnesses indicate that the deceased may have been killed elsewhere before his body was moved and hanged in a coffee plantation to create the impression of suicide,” SSP Kigozi said.
Following the findings, police arrested three individuals to assist with investigations. The suspects are Didas Muzarugamba, Innocent Munyembanza, 35, and Esther Mukakamanzi, 36.
Detectives are now working to reconstruct the events leading to Kwitonda's death and determine the extent of each suspect's involvement.
The case highlights the growing challenge investigators face in distinguishing between genuine suicides and deaths that may have been deliberately staged to conceal criminal acts.
Police say careful scene examination, forensic analysis and witness testimony remain critical in uncovering the true circumstances behind suspicious deaths.
Authorities have urged the public to remain calm as investigations continue.
“We are conducting thorough inquiries to establish the truth behind this death. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is encouraged to come forward,” Kigozi said.
The suspects remain in police custody pending further investigations.