Police in Mbarara have launched investigations into the brutal killing of a first-year university student who was found stabbed to death inside her rented room in Katete, a city suburb.
The deceased has been identified as Jackline Tumwebaze, a Freshman at University of St. Joseph Mbarara (USJ), where she was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance under the weekend programme.
Tumwebaze, a resident of Katete in Mbarara City, was discovered dead on Thursday morning after neighbours noticed that she had not come out of her room as usual. Suspicion grew when residents realized the door to her house was locked from the outside.
Concerned neighbours eventually forced their way into the room, only to find her lifeless body lying inside.
Preliminary observations suggested she had been stabbed, with signs indicating that a violent struggle may have taken place before the assailants fled.
Residents immediately alerted police, who arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area as detectives began gathering evidence.
The circumstances surrounding the killing remain unclear, but investigators believe Tumwebaze may have been targeted by unknown attackers who later locked the room from the outside to conceal the crime.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the student community in Mbarara, raising concerns about safety, particularly for students living in private hostels and rented rooms in the city.
In a brief statement shared on its official platforms, the University of St. Joseph Mbarara confirmed the death of the student.
“We regret to announce the death of our student, Tumwebaze Jackline, a Bachelor of Accounting and Finance (Weekend) Year One student,” the university said.
“She was killed by unknown people and locked in her house in Katete, Mbarara. She was working around Mbarara,” the statement added.
Police had not yet released an official statement on the progress of investigations by the time of publication, but detectives are expected to review evidence from the scene and record statements from neighbours and possible witnesses.
Authorities have urged members of the public to remain calm and report any information that could help identify the perpetrators.
The body was later taken to a nearby health facility for postmortem examination as investigations continue.
