Police have arrested five people after tracing a mobile phone belonging to murdered Kampala International University student Kairu Patricia to a shop at KK Plaza Basement along Namirembe Road.
The arrests are part of investigations into the death of Patricia, whose body was recovered dumped in Kiyanja Cell, Nabbingo Ward, Kyengera Town Council, on August 4, 2026.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said the breakthrough came after investigators recovered Patricia’s mobile phone on September 4 and traced its movement to KK Plaza Basement.
“The recovery of the deceased’s mobile phone gave our investigators an important lead. Through further inquiries, we were able to trace the phone to KK Plaza Basement, where it had reportedly been sold,” Kawala said.
Following the lead, police conducted a joint operation at KK Plaza Basement on September 8, during which 37 suspects were arrested and 360 second-hand mobile phones recovered from 15 shops.
Kawala said subsequent screening and investigations identified five people who were at Shop A-13, the shop from which police say Patricia’s phone was allegedly sold.
The five suspects are Baker Maiso, 30; Brian Kayongo, 30; Mugerwa Morris, 20; Nagawa Christine, 20; and Balyejusa Brian, whose age is yet to be established.
Kawala said the five suspects are being detained as investigators work to establish their individual roles and whether they have any connection to Patricia’s murder.
“After the operation, we carried out further screening to identify the people who were connected to the shop where the deceased’s phone was allegedly sold. Five suspects were identified and they are currently being held as we establish their respective roles and any possible connection to the murder,” Kawala said.
She said the arrest of the five suspects does not by itself mean they participated in the murder, stressing that investigators are still working to establish the circumstances under which Patricia’s phone reached the shop.
“Our investigations are focused on establishing the chain of events surrounding the phone, including how it came into the possession of the people who sold it and whether there is any link between those transactions and the death of the deceased,” Kawala said.
The development follows the earlier arrest of three suspects in connection with the case.
On September 3, police arrested Mawanda Abdul Swabur, who had allegedly made an appointment to meet Patricia in Kyengera on the day she died.
On September 4, investigators arrested Matata Philian, a security guard at Seroma Hardware, and Ayikoru Robinah, identified by police as Matata’s wife, following the recovery of Patricia’s phone.
According to police, the two suspects told investigators that the phone had been purchased from KK Plaza Basement.
Kawala said the subsequent operation at KK Plaza was intended to help investigators establish how Patricia’s phone entered the second-hand market and identify people who may have handled it.
“The operation at KK Plaza was informed by the information we had obtained during the investigation. We recovered a substantial number of second-hand phones and detained several people for screening. The process has enabled us to identify the individuals connected to the shop where the deceased’s phone was reportedly sold,” she said.
Police said investigations remain ongoing and that further action will depend on the evidence gathered.
The five suspects have not been convicted of any offence and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
