Authorities are preparing to conduct a crime scene reconstruction on Monday following the death of 18-year-old Martin Bukenya, allegedly beaten to death by his girlfriend’s father, Herbert Lumu Musasizi, 41, in Mabanda Cell, Gombe Division, Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, on February 14, 2026.
Musasizi was arrested in Gulu District last week by a crime intelligence team and has since been transferred to Matugga Police Station for further investigations. Police say the reconstruction will assist detectives in establishing a clear sequence of events to strengthen the case before submission to the Resident State Attorney.
Bukenya, a student at Hillside Secondary School in Matugga and resident of Kirinyabigo, Kawanda, was reportedly visiting Musasizi’s home to see his 14-year-old girlfriend when the assault occurred. He later succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack.
Conflicting Accounts
Mabanda Cell Chairman Kizito previously stated that Bukenya had been cautioned in December not to return to Musasizi’s home, and that both Bukenya and the girl were tested for HIV and pregnancy, with the mother allegedly pledging to caution her son.
However, Bukenya’s mother, Imelda Nakiyembe, has denied attending any such meeting. “I had never been to that place, and I didn’t know the girl’s father,” she told police and media, suggesting that authorities may have spoken to a different woman.
Neighbourhood reports indicate that Bukenya had spent at least two days at Musasizi’s home while the father was away in Gulu and the mother abroad in Canada. Residents also claimed that the girl told her siblings that Bukenya was their uncle, despite reportedly sharing a bedroom with him.
Bukenya was laid to rest in Kinoni, Lwengo District, on Tuesday. Teachers described him as humble, intelligent, calm, and quiet.
Local leaders have praised police for the arrest but criticized neighbours who did not intervene while Bukenya allegedly cried for help. They urged parents to guide and support teenagers rather than resort to violence.
Nakiyembe expressed her desire to confront Musasizi. “I now want to see this bad-hearted man,” she said.
Police confirmed that Musasizi will appear in court early this week on murder charges. The reconstruction is expected to provide investigators with a clearer understanding of the events that led to the teenager’s death.