The Uganda Police Force is appealing to the public for assistance in identifying a woman whose remains were found in separate locations in Masaka District. According to police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke, the woman's head and body were recovered from different locations in Butale, Zinga Village, Buwunga Sub-county, Masaka District. The head was found a short distance from where the body had been abandoned. Police officers from Kako cell responded to the scene, recovered the remains, and collected evidence to support investigations.
The suspected serial killer, Kamugisha Kuraishi, also known as Fred Mujulizi, has allegedly confessed to killing the woman and described how he removed her head and plucked out her heart. However, despite the suspect's alleged confession and the recovery of the remains, police have struggled to establish who the woman was. Even residents from the community where the body was discovered have reportedly failed to recognise her, while no relative or friend has come forward to claim her.
Police have released the victim's photograph through their official digital platforms in the hope that someone will recognise her and help investigators trace her family. Rusoke appealed particularly to people with missing female relatives or acquaintances to examine the photograph and share any information that could help establish her identity. Anyone with information can contact police on 0741 445 532, 0741 445 534, or 0741 445 535.
The appeal comes as police continue investigating a series of killings linked to Kamugisha, whose alleged confessions have reopened several murder investigations in Greater Masaka and other districts. Kamugisha was arrested in connection with a suspected series of ritual murders in the Greater Masaka region and other parts of the country. His arrest followed the discovery of a human head wrapped in a white polythene bag at Kako Cell along the Kako–Mukungwe Road in Nyendo-Mukungwe Division on September 29, 2026.
Investigations led to the arrest of Kamugisha, a 38-year-old moneylender, and a traditional healer, Huzairuh Kyambadde, who was suspected of commissioning the procurement of human body parts for ritual purposes. Police said Kamugisha allegedly confessed to killing the woman and leading investigators through a reconstruction of the crime scene. Police also linked Kamugisha to other murder investigations in Nsangi, Wakiso District, and Sanga, while his alleged confessions prompted investigators to reopen older murder files dating as far back as 2012.
The suspect has also attracted attention because of his reported links to a long-running series of killings in Greater Masaka, including the January 2013 massacre in which nine members of Pastor Steven Mugambe's family were killed in Kyebe, Rakai District. Police had previously identified Fred Mujulizi as a wanted suspect in connection with the killings. On November 6, 2026, the Masaka Chief Magistrate's Court committed Kamugisha to the High Court for trial on a murder charge after the prosecution dropped three other charges against him.
Kamugisha's co-accused, Kyambadde, was cleared after the prosecution withdrew all charges against him. The police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killings and are urging anyone with information to come forward. The case has sparked widespread concern and outrage, with many calling for swift justice for the victims and their families.
Key points
- Police are seeking the public's help to identify a woman beheaded by suspected serial killer Kamugisha Kuraishi.
- The suspected serial killer has allegedly confessed to killing the woman and described how he removed her head and plucked out her heart.
- The police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killings and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
