MUBENDE DISTRICT: 17 April 2026– Residents of Katabalanga village are reeling from shock following the gruesome murder of an 8-year-old boy, allegedly at the hands of his elder brother and a known fugitive.
The victim, identified as Ndyanabo Ian, was found dead on Wednesday morning in a bush near his family’s coffee plantation. Authorities report that the child was killed by manual strangulation, specifically a “360-degree rotation of the neck.”
The tragedy began on Tuesday, April 14, when Ian went to fetch water with his 10-year-old sister, Gorreti and didn’t return. When the sister returned home alone, their father, Mr. Ndyanabo Polini, went searching for the boy. He discovered Ian’s empty jerrycans abandoned on the path to the well.
Local residents joined the search throughout the night, but the police were not initially notified. The grim discovery of Ian’s bruised body was made the following day, showing clear signs of a violent struggle.
Police have since arrested the victim’s 18-year-old brother, Ndyanabo Derrick, who reportedly confessed to the crime. According to SSP L Kigozi, PRO for the Wamala Region, Derrick claimed he acted out of “malice” because he felt his younger siblings were “disrespectful.”
Derrick further admitted that his original plan was to kill both Ian and Gorreti, but he was only able to intercept Ian after the boy fell behind at the well.
The investigation took a darker turn with the arrest of Derrick’s alleged accomplice: Mwikiriza Ronald (25) a “wanted murderer” who had been on the run since 2025. Upon his arrest, Mwikiriza also confessed to the previous murder for which he was being sought.
Authorities believe that substance abuse may have played a significant role in the elder brother’s actions, describing the attack as a “savage” betrayal of the sibling bond.
”It is not common for a big brother to savage his siblings, whom any right-thinking person would see as the second line of defense in the absence of parents,” stated SSP Kigozi.
The body of the deceased was transported to Mubende Hospital for a postmortem examination. Both suspects remain in custody and are expected to appear in court once the Resident State Attorney sanctions the charges.
