A former Rwandan army officer who sought refuge in Uganda after claiming that his life was in danger has been found murdered, with his head severed, in Mpigi District.

The deceased, Robert Kabera, 50, popularly known as Sergeant Robert, was discovered dead on Saturday, October 17, at a eucalyptus plantation in Luwala village, Kamengo Sub-county, where he was reportedly constructing a house.

Kabera previously served as an instructor and soloist with the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Army Jazz Band before leaving Rwanda for Uganda in November 2020.

According to information provided to investigators, Kabera travelled from Kampala to Luwala at approximately 7pm on October 16, accompanied by his regular boda boda rider, identified as Innocent.He reportedly visited a bar in Luwala trading centre later that evening.

His brother, Victor Agaba, became worried when Kabera failed to return home or appear the following morning.

Agaba reportedly searched their residence and visited the bar, where an attendant informed him that Kabera had last been seen the previous night.

The search took a grim turn at around 2pm when the village defence secretary notified Agaba about the discovery of an unidentified headless body.

Agaba reportedly identified the deceased as his brother by a scar on his right thumb and shoes recovered near the scene.

Police officers who visited the plantation found the body lying in a pool of blood.

Investigators from Kamengo, working alongside detectives from Kampala, reportedly recovered a large stick suspected to have been used in the attack, two beer bottles and a pair of shoes.

Authorities have yet to publicly establish the motive behind the killing or identify the perpetrators.

Previous Fears for His Safety
Kabera’s death comes against the background of earlier concerns he had raised about his security in Uganda.

After fleeing Rwanda in November 2020, he reportedly maintained that he was being targeted for political reasons and feared for his life despite being registered as a refugee.

On September 11, 2021, Kabera wrote to local authorities requesting protection. In his appeal, he argued that allegations circulating about him in Rwandan media were politically motivated and placed his safety at risk.

Local leaders subsequently forwarded his concerns to the police and agencies responsible for refugee protection.

His security concerns reportedly resurfaced in October 2023 when the chairperson of Sserwanga village in Mengo Parish, Kampala Central Division, wrote to Old Kampala Police Station introducing Kabera as a resident who had allegedly been attacked by three men along Rubaga Road.

The letter, dated October 23, 2023, and stamped as received by KCCA Central Division, stated that the suspected attackers escaped in a black vehicle without number plates after Kabera raised an alarm.
During the alleged attack, the assailants reportedly threatened him, warning that they would find and kill him even if he fled to the United States.

It remains unclear whether the earlier incident was connected to his killing in Mpigi.

Kabera’s departure from Rwanda followed allegations by the RDF’s Military Prosecution Department that he had sexually assaulted a teenage family member in Ndera, Gasabo District.

He denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated.

In May 2022, Ugandan security forces arrested him at his residence over allegations of unlawful possession of a firearm. He was detained at the Special Investigations Division in Kireka before being released on police bond.

Kabera’s death raises questions about the safety of refugees who claim to face threats linked to their political opinions or previous affiliations in their countries of origin.

However, investigators have not established whether his previous complaints, the reported attack in Kampala or his former military service had any connection to the fatal incident.

Police investigations are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing, identify those responsible and determine whether the murder was linked to threats Kabera had reported in the past.

The police had not publicly announced any arrests or confirmed a motive for the killing in the information available for this report.