A 30-year-old man, Dan Mugeri, a resident of Magamaga East Village in Buwenge Rural Sub-County, Jinja District, has ended his own life while in police custody at Kagoma Sub-County Police Station.
Mugeri, who was facing theft charges, reportedly used his trousers to commit suicide on Friday, February 21, at around 10:30 AM.
According to police reports, Mugeri had been on the run after allegedly stealing UGX 500,000 from his boss in Bukomansimbi District in January 2025.
To evade justice, he fled the district and returned to his home in Jinja. However, the area LC1 Chairperson of Magamaga East Village, along with his General Secretary, arrested him and handed him over to the police.
He was being held at Kagoma Sub-County Police Station while awaiting transport back to Bukomansimbi when the tragic incident occurred.
Residents claim that ever since Mugeri left Bukomansimbi, he appeared emotionally distressed and had been overheard expressing thoughts of ending his life.
Kiira Region Police Spokesperson SP James Mubi confirmed the incident, emphasizing the importance of mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
“The Police, in conjunction with mental health specialists, will conduct an intensified sensitization campaign on suicide risk assessment. This will help detect early warning signs of depression and suicidal thoughts, ensuring that such cases are handled professionally to mitigate emotional distress and hopelessness,” SP Mubi stated.
The scene was visited by Her Worship Betty Lukuse, the Magistrate of Kagoma, along with the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO), a robust team of detectives, and Buwenge CPS DPC, SP Morris Oyee. Authorities are continuing investigations into the circumstances surrounding Mugeri’s death.
