BY:OMULANGIRA DDEMBE YONAH
KAMPALA
What began as a desperate search for a missing woman has ended in a chilling murder investigation after police discovered her decomposing body hidden inside a suspect’s home, alongside a freshly dug grave believed to have been prepared for her burial.
The victim, Babirye Lydia, aged 52, was a resident of Kigowa in Ntinda.
She was reportedly kidnapped and before her captors ended her life ruthlessly, demanded a staggering UGX 19 million ransom from her family.
According to Racheal Kawala the Kampala and Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, the alarm was raised on June 4th,2026, when relatives reported her disappearance at Old Kampala Police Station. Shortly afterward, the kidnappers used Lydia’s own phone to contact family members, demanding millions of shillings in exchange for her freedom.
A joint security team immediately launched an intensive manhunt, tracing leads that pointed investigators to two key suspects — Kagga Shafiq and Ntege Abubakar.
Police arrested Ntege in Nateete and during questioning, detectives say he led them to his residence in Kiteredde Village, Kakiri Town Council, Wakiso District.
What officers found there shocked even seasoned investigators.
Inside the suspect’s house, police discovered Lydia’s body in an advanced state of decomposition. The remains had allegedly been wrapped in a mattress cover and tightly bound with ropes in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime.
But the grim discoveries did not end there.
Investigators also uncovered a grave already dug within the compound, which they believe was intended to secretly dispose of the victim’s body and erase evidence of the murder.
Crime scene experts documented the area before transferring the body to KCCA City Mortuary for a postmortem examination, as detectives work to establish the exact circumstances surrounding Lydia’s death.
Both Kagga Shafiq and Ntege Abubakar remain in police custody as investigations continue.
Authorities say further arrests are possible and have pledged to provide more updates as the inquiry unfolds.
