KAMPALA. Police in Kampala Metropolitan area have arrested five additional suspects in connection with the brutal mob killing of national rugby player Sydney Gongodyo.
This brings the total number of individuals in custody to eight.
Gongodyo, a 27-year-old forward for the national 15s team (Rugby Cranes), a Makerere University student, and a stalwart for the Stanbic Black Pirates, was beaten to death on Friday, June 5, 2026, in the Kampala suburb of Bukoto. Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Racheal Kawala confirmed the latest arrests on June 9, identifying the suspects as Ssebagala Noordin, Ayebazibwe Roden, Namukose Juliet, Elly Mondoni, Herbert Twinomujuni, Katsigazi Perigrino, Darlious Tayebwa, and Hannington Tugume.
Preliminary investigations indicate Gongodyo was attacked by a chaotic crowd after being falsely or prematurely accused of snatching a woman’s handbag. Although police intervened and rushed him to Mulago National Referral Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. The tragic loss forced the postponement of the Uganda Rugby Premiership semi-final. Uganda Rugby Union President Godwin Kayangwe described Gongodyo’s death as a “monumental loss to the sport.”
“Efforts are ongoing to identify, trace, and apprehend other individuals believed to have participated in the incident,” Ms Kawala stated, emphasizing that participating in a lynch mob is a capital offense.
Gongodyo’s death shines a harsh spotlight on Uganda’s persistent crisis of vigilantism. According to the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report 2025, mob action accounted for 950 registered murder cases—a staggering 22.4 per cent of all 4,238 homicides recorded nationwide.
The report highlights Kampala Metropolitan East, where the attack occurred, as a major hotspot with 71 cases. Most victims are beaten with blunt objects or wooden planks over low-level offenses like alleged theft.
Authorities warn that criminals frequently exploit crowd chaos to target innocent individuals or settle personal grudges. Human rights groups attribute this deadly trend to systemic public distrust in the formal justice system and delayed prosecutions. Police reiterate that all perpetrators face immediate murder charges as investigations continue.