Defilement suspect dies in Manafwa police cells
Emma Mooli Webale, 26, died in police cells three days after his arrest. Illustration by Ivan Ssenyonjo
What you need to know:
- According to police, Mooli was accused of defiling a 15-year-old girl in 2023.
Police in Manafwa District in Bugisu sub region, Eastern Uganda are investigating the circumstances under which a 26-year-old man detained on defilement charges died in their custody at Buwagogo Police Station.
Emma Mooli Webale, a peasant and resident of Namisindwa District, reportedly died by suicide in the police cells where he had been locked up.
“It is alleged that Mooli, who was facing defilement charges took his own life by hanging using a trouser in the police cells,” Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Rogers Taitika said.
According to police, Mooli was accused of defiling a 15-year-old girl in 2023.
“The case was reported after the victim’s parents discovered that she was pregnant. Upon realizing the girl had conceived, Mooli reportedly fled to neighboring Kenya. He returned last week and was arrested,” he said.
Police said his body was taken to Mbale City mortuary for an autopsy after which it will be handed over to his family for burial in Namisindwa District.
A police officer at Buwagogo Police Station, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the suspect was in good health at the time of his arrest on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
“We were preparing to transfer him to Manafwa Central Police Station for better management, but we later found him dead. We are still waiting for the postmortem report to determine the cause of death,” the officer said.
Cases of suspects dying in police custody and cells are common in Uganda. Most of them are attributed to suicide.
The Uganda Constitution mandates that a person arrested or detained, if not released sooner, must be brought before a court within 48 hours of their arrest. This is outlined in Article 23(4) of the Constitution. This provision ensures that individuals are not detained indefinitely without judicial review.
