The High Court of Uganda has issued a stern warning to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and army chiefs regarding the disappearance of opposition activist Sam Mugumya. Judge Simon Peter Kinobe expressed concern over the continued failure to establish Mugumya's whereabouts, despite previous judicial interventions. Mugumya's lawyers allege that he was seized by armed men in Mbarara on August 26, 2025, and taken to an undisclosed location.
According to Kinobe, the disappearance of Mugumya is both a national concern and a personal matter. He warned that failure to hold security agencies accountable could expose any Ugandan to the risk of disappearing without explanation. The judge gave the government three weeks to investigate Mugumya's disappearance and report back to court. He emphasized that he would not hesitate to take action against specific officials, including the IGP, for failure to comply with court orders.
The case stems from a second application for a writ of habeas corpus, through which Mugumya's lawyers are seeking to compel authorities to establish his whereabouts and account for his alleged disappearance. In the earlier proceedings, the High Court issued a writ on September 5, 2025, directing the respondents to produce Mugumya within seven days. On September 12, 2025, the court further directed the Attorney General and the IGP to investigate the alleged arrest and establish his whereabouts.
The government had sought an additional three weeks to allow security agencies to complete investigations and submit the required report. State attorneys Matthew Muhesi and Jackie Amusugut presented letters from the Solicitor General addressed to the IGP and from the permanent secretary of the ministry of Defence. However, Kinobe rejected what he considered an attempt to shift responsibility to the police, reminding the government lawyers that his earlier directive expressly covered both the police and the army.
Kinobe insisted that the court needed the names of individual officials responsible for implementing its directives, rather than general references to institutions. He warned that he was prepared to take action against specific officials, including the IGP, for failure to comply with court orders. Amusugut subsequently told court that the IGP had forwarded the matter to CID for investigation after receiving the relevant communication.
In his ruling, Kinobe granted the government the requested three weeks but warned that compliance would be strictly enforced. He stressed that the continued failure to establish Mugumya's whereabouts was unacceptable. The judge warned that failure to comply within the additional three weeks could compel him to consider contempt of court proceedings against the officials responsible. The case was adjourned to November 30, 2026, for further hearing.
Government and security agencies have repeatedly denied having Mugumya in their custody, despite the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba admitting on social media to holding him incommunicado and torturing him. A recently leaked video purportedly shows a frail Mugumya limping in pain, linked to allegations that he was tortured by state operatives at a safe house in Entebbe.
Key points
- The High Court has given the government three weeks to investigate Sam Mugumya's disappearance and report back to court.
- Judge Simon Peter Kinobe warned of potential contempt of court proceedings against officials responsible for failure to comply with court orders.
- The case has been adjourned to November 30, 2026, for further hearing.
