News
Police dog sniffs out brothers linked to murder of their 95-year-old mother
“The dog tracked the trail to the home of Peter Biija and subsequently proceeded to the home of Isingoma, another son of the deceased. The two suspects were arrested to assist with investigations. During the operation, Isingoma led the Police to a location where the head of the deceased was recovered,” Rusoke stated.
Kituuma said that Marshall (the police dog) was introduced to the scene and successfully picked up a scent.
By: Charles Etukuri, Journalist @New Vision
KAGADI - Two brothers are held at Kagadi police as detectives probe death of their mother, Angela Kabagenzi, 95, a resident of Matuntu A Village, Kagadi District.
It is suspected that the deceased was murdered.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said preliminary investigation indicates that on the night of September 4, 2026, Kabagenzi went missing from her home.
“The following morning, Saturday, September, 5, 2026, her body was discovered approximately 300 metres from her home, in a sugarcane plantation, with the head missing,” Kituuma said.
He revealed that police were notified and promptly responded to the scene of crime with a sniffer dog.
“Upon arrival, investigators established the possible exit route through the thick sugarcane plantation,” he added.
Kituuma said that Marshall (the police dog) was introduced to the scene and successfully picked up a scent.
“The dog tracked the trail to the home of Peter Biija and subsequently proceeded to the home of Isingoma, another son of the deceased. The two suspects were arrested to assist with investigations. During the operation, Isingoma led the Police to a location where the head of the deceased was recovered,” he stated.
By Tuesday, September 8th, the suspects remained in custody as investigations continue.
Canine Unit
The dogs that were used in tracking down the suspects are owned by the Uganda Police Force.
Kituuma, during an interview with New Vision, said that the collaboration between the Canine Unit and the Criminal Investigation Directorate has greatly enhanced the effectiveness of investigations, ensuring that justice is delivered to the common person.
“This partnership is a clear demonstration of how coordinated efforts can yield meaningful results in law enforcement,” Rusoke said.
While releasing the Annual Crime Report 2025 in April this year, the Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba said they had increased utilisation of canine services.
The report indicated that police dogs supported 20, 978 tracking operations in 2025, up from 19, 899 operations in 2024. These efforts led to 6, 033 suspects being taken to court compared to 5, 520 in the previous year, whilst 7, 262 exhibits were recovered to support prosecutions.
By Tuesday, September 8th, the suspects remained in custody as investigations continue.
Canine Unit
The dogs that were used in tracking down the suspects are owned by the Uganda Police Force.
Kituuma, during an interview with New Vision, said that the collaboration between the Canine Unit and the Criminal Investigation Directorate has greatly enhanced the effectiveness of investigations, ensuring that justice is delivered to the common person.
“This partnership is a clear demonstration of how coordinated efforts can yield meaningful results in law enforcement,” Rusoke said.
While releasing the Annual Crime Report 2025 in April this year, the Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba said they had increased utilisation of canine services.
The report indicated that police dogs supported 20, 978 tracking operations in 2025, up from 19, 899 operations in 2024. These efforts led to 6, 033 suspects being taken to court compared to 5, 520 in the previous year, whilst 7, 262 exhibits were recovered to support prosecutions.
Kituuma says that for a dog to successfully track down a suspect, “the scene of crime should not be contaminated. People should not interfere with the scene. It should be cordoned off until the police arrive. Crime must also be reported as soon as it happens, because the longer it takes, the more likely that the evidence will be lost,” Kituuma said.
Kituuma also noted that the evidence generated by the canine unit forms part of the clues that can be used in prosecution.
He said if you don’t have the clues on the suspects involved, it is usually hard to get the suspects. “In any case, if you want to identify a suspect, he must be placed at the scene of crime by more scientific evidence.
He cited the two cases in Kiboga, where there was DNA and the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) was involved.
There was also electronic evidence; the phone prints placed them at the scene of crime,” he added.
Kituuma said the combination of the evidence successfully led to the prosecution of both suspects in the murder cases in Kiboga.
The dogs, the New Vision has learnt, assist police in tracking criminal suspects, recovering stolen property, detecting narcotics and explosives, and assisting with search and rescue operations.
He revealed that the police canine unit currently operates in all 34 policing regions of Uganda, and they are in at least 130 districts in Uganda. “The canine services are free of charge, and we are continuing to expand, and we think that in the next year, we shall be in all the districts and cities in Uganda,” he added.
The police canine unit, headquartered at Nsambya Barracks in Kampala, also operates a breeding centre in Naggalama in Mukono, reducing reliance on costly imports and expanding services to various districts.
Kituuma also noted that the evidence generated by the canine unit forms part of the clues that can be used in prosecution.
He said if you don’t have the clues on the suspects involved, it is usually hard to get the suspects. “In any case, if you want to identify a suspect, he must be placed at the scene of crime by more scientific evidence.
He cited the two cases in Kiboga, where there was DNA and the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) was involved.
There was also electronic evidence; the phone prints placed them at the scene of crime,” he added.
Kituuma said the combination of the evidence successfully led to the prosecution of both suspects in the murder cases in Kiboga.
The dogs, the New Vision has learnt, assist police in tracking criminal suspects, recovering stolen property, detecting narcotics and explosives, and assisting with search and rescue operations.
He revealed that the police canine unit currently operates in all 34 policing regions of Uganda, and they are in at least 130 districts in Uganda. “The canine services are free of charge, and we are continuing to expand, and we think that in the next year, we shall be in all the districts and cities in Uganda,” he added.
The police canine unit, headquartered at Nsambya Barracks in Kampala, also operates a breeding centre in Naggalama in Mukono, reducing reliance on costly imports and expanding services to various districts.