Police rescue woman from mob after husband’s fatal stabbing

RUKUNGIRI - Police in Rukungiri district have rescued a woman from an angry mob after she allegedly attacked her husband and stabbed him to death.

Patience Akankwasa, a resident of Nyamayenje Cell, Ndere Parish in Southern Division, Rukungiri District, was on Wednesday rescued by police from angry residents who wanted to lynch her for allegedly killing her husband.

According to a statement issued by the Kigezi Region outgoing public relations officer, Elly Maate, the suspect is alleged to have stabbed her 32-year-old husband, identified as Bruce Nuwamanya.

According to police, the incident occurred on June 3, 2026, at Rwenanura cell, Nyabitete parish in Buyanja subcounty.

It is alleged that the deceased had separated from his wife, with whom they had one child, and later married another woman.

Police stated that the suspect had been staying with her parents, but on June 2, 2026, she returned to the village and reported herself to the area chairman, one Eriab Tugume, and lodged a complaint against the deceased, saying he had failed to provide necessities for their child.

“The deceased was summoned, and during the meeting, he gave her a blanket and a mattress, and she returned the following day on Wednesday and gave her sh70,000 for her to rent a house,” Maate said, adding that the suspect left.

Police said that on the same day, at around 12:40 pm, she allegedly appeared at the deceased’s home and found him having lunch with his new wife.

It is alleged that she entered the house, but to create space, the current wife walked to another room to place plates. Shortly afterwards, she heard her husband making an alarm and rushed back only to find him bleeding and raised an alarm that attracted neighbours.

It is alleged that residents saw the suspect fleeing the scene and chased and cornered her a few metres from the scene of the crime. They immediately notified the chairman (Tugume), who alerted the police from Buyanja Police Station, who rescued her.

She had been badly beaten by the mob and was rushed to Rukungiri Health Centre IV for treatment as police continued with investigations.

According to Maate, she will be charged with murder upon recovery and discharge from hospital.

Police also removed the deceased’s body and took it to Buyanja Health Centre for a postmortem.