Police in Buyende District have arrested a Catholic priest and a parish driver in connection with the suspected murder of a 14-year-old boy .
The incident happened last weekend .
The 33-year-old priest attached to Wesunire Catholic Parish, and the driver, are currently in custody at Buyende Police Station as investigations continue.
Busoga North Police Spokesperson Michael Kasadha confirmed the arrests on Monday, noting that the priest presented himself to police in Kamuli on Sunday, following reports that he had initially gone into hiding.
“The Father voluntarily came to the regional police offices in Kamuli and was later handed over to Buyende Police to start investigations,” Mr Kasadha said, adding: “The investigations will determine when the duo will be produced in court, but there is no particular timeline.”
The circumstances surrounding the death of the teenager, identified as Joseph Kirya, remain unclear, with police yet to disclose whether he was a student, a parish visitor, or known to the suspects.
Preliminary reports indicate that on Friday, August 1, Fr Owori alleged that Shs5 million had been stolen from his room in his absence.
Upon returning and discovering the money missing, he reportedly ordered a search for the boy, who was later brought to him at around 5 p.m.
According to initial police accounts, Fr Owori allegedly assaulted the minor and locked him inside the parish store overnight.
On August 2, after discovering the boy had died during the night, the priest reportedly filed a police complaint of theft and requested that officers collect the suspect.
However, when police arrived at the parish and were directed to the store, they found the boy already dead.
The priest is said to have fled the premises soon after but later resurfaced to face questioning. Police say a postmortem was conducted before the body was handed over to the family for burial.
Authorities have not confirmed whether any charges have been formally filed, and investigations are ongoing to establish the exact cause of death and circumstances leading up to the incident.
The case has sparked widespread concern, with many in the community demanding a thorough and transparent investigation.