A police officer in Kamuli District has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a 19-year-old man during an attempted arrest in Balawoli Town Council.
The officer, Sgt. Etapu Jimmy (No. 38057), attached to Balawoli Police Post, is accused of fatally shooting Kawongolo Diliisa, a resident of Butalage II, Kawaaga.
According to preliminary investigations, the incident occurred on February 17, 2025, at around 4:00 AM when Sgt. Etapu was deployed to arrest Joseph Badaaza, a suspect wanted for alleged assault in Butalage II Zone.
During the arrest, a struggle ensued as residents attempted to prevent Badaaza’s arrest. In the chaos, Sgt. Etapu fired two bullets, reportedly in self-defense, but a stray bullet struck Kawongolo Diliisa, the suspect’s brother.
Kawongolo was rushed to Kamuli General Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Following the incident, a team of officers led by the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the station responded to the scene. Sgt. Etapu was arrested, and investigations are ongoing. A postmortem examination is also pending.
Busoga North Regional Police Spokesperson ASP Michael Kasadha confirmed the arrest and assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted to establish the full circumstances surrounding the shooting.