Adonia Atuheire | Tayari News
KISORO – A family in Kisoro District is demanding justice after their 26-year-old son was allegedly shot dead by a police officer under unclear circumstances.
The deceased, identified as Mwijuke Hassan, a boda-boda rider and resident of Gafuruzo Parish in Nyarubuye Sub-County, was reportedly shot on Thursday morning.
Police say Hassan was seen riding a motorcycle suspected to have been stolen from Rwenturagara Cell in North Division of Mbarara City on March 6, 2026.
Hassan was allegedly shot dead on March 12, 2026, at around 9:15 AM in Gaseve Village, Nyakinama Sub-County, Kisoro District. The shooting was reportedly carried out by Police Constable Okedi Muhammad, a 25-year-old officer attached to Ntungamo Police Station.
According to police reports, Muhammed opened fire after the deceased allegedly attempted to escape by riding the suspected stolen motorcycle.
However, the family of the deceased disputed police claims, saying Hassan had travelled home from Mbarara using the same motorcycle to check on them and had planned to return to work. Relatives insist the shooting was unjustified and are now calling on government authorities to investigate the matter.
Habyarimana Abdul, the father of the deceased, said his son had informed him that he was planning to return to Mbarara for work shortly before the shooting occurred.
“My son told me he would soon go back to Mbarara, where he was working. A few hours later, I heard gunshots in the neighbourhood. When I went to check what had happened, I found that the person who had been shot was my own son,” Abdul said.
Abdul also expressed frustration about the handling of the body after the incident, saying the body was taken to Kisoro Hospital, where he was asked to pay money for an examination.
“When we reached the hospital, the doctor asked me to pay 50,000 shillings for the body examination. I had no option but to pay because I wanted to know what had happened to my child,” he explained.
He described Hassan as a humble and responsible young man who had never been involved in any criminal activity.
“My son was a good and disciplined child. He had never been involved in crime, and that is why this incident has shocked us so much,” Abdul said.
The grieving father condemned the actions of the police, arguing that the shooting happened before proper investigations into the alleged motorcycle theft had been carried out.
“Police are supposed to maintain law and order, not to kill people without investigations. We want the government to intervene and ensure justice is done,” he added.
Pastor Evalist Tuyisenge of Gaseve Pentecostal Church, who says he witnessed the incident, narrated that the deceased was riding the motorcycle when the officer began firing at him.
“The officer started running toward the young man while shooting. The rider continued moving until he reached near my home, where he was shot in the head and died instantly,” Pastor Tuyisenge said.
The pastor also revealed that his wife narrowly survived the gunfire during the incident. She had slightly left the place to look for something to eat in the nearby garden.
“My wife was washing clothes nearby when the shooting happened. She survived the bullets by sheer luck,” he explained.
He condemned the use of lethal force, saying authorities could have involved local leaders to investigate the matter instead.
“If there were suspicions about the motorcycle, police could have worked with local leaders to investigate rather than shooting the young man,” he said.
Local leaders have also expressed concern over the manner in which the incident occurred.
The LC1 Chairperson of Gafuruzo Village, Maxim Habomuremyi, confirmed that the shooting took place in the area and criticised the police action.
“This incident has shocked the community. We believe such matters should be handled through proper investigations rather than using excessive force,” Habomuremyi said.
The Kisoro District Police Commander, SP Edatu Cosmas, confirmed the incident and said investigations into the shooting had already begun.
“Police Constable Okedi Muhammad is attached to Ntungamo Police Station. When he came to Kisoro for the operation, he did not follow the proper procedures. He only reported at the police counter and did not report to the relevant authorities,” SP Edatu said.
He added that two other police officers who reportedly travelled with the suspect officer for the operation are currently being held.
“CPL Abisunguza Gerald and CPL Niyonzima Patson are also being held to assist with investigations because they travelled with the officer without authorisation,” he said.
As investigations continue, the family of the deceased says they are hopeful that justice will be served and that those responsible for the shooting will be held accountable.