MBALE, Uganda — Ugandan police are grappling with a sensational and deeply disturbing case after a 27-year-old suspect, Fahad Kiranda, arrested in connection with the murder of a high school student, allegedly confessed to involvement in 48 other ritual killings.
While authorities proceed with extreme caution, the investigation has cast a grim spotlight on the pervasive issue of ritualistic crime in the region.
Kiranda was apprehended over the weekend in Mayuge town council, Mayuge district, concluding an extensive, month-long intelligence-led manhunt.
His arrest links him to the defilement and murder of 15-year-old Sumaya Edrisa Binti, a Senior Two student at Nakaloke Secondary School, whose mutilated body was discovered in a lodge room in Mbale on March 23, 2025.
Police records detail the sequence of events leading to Binti’s discovery. On the morning of March 23, Kiranda checked into Grace Guesthouse in Mbale at approximately 9:00 a.m. After rejecting several rooms, he settled on Room 11, informing the receptionist, Peter Nabende, that a girlfriend would join him later.
Approximately four hours after the suspect was left alone, a staff member entered the room and made the gruesome discovery: Binti’s naked body tied to the bed with a mosquito net, with one finger severed. The suspect had already fled.
The case gained an unsettling twist when, shortly after the body was found, the guesthouse manager received a call. Police say Kiranda allegedly used this call to instruct the manager to check Room 11 for “their belongings.”
The initial investigation at Nkoma police station struggled to trace the suspect until Crime Intelligence operatives, commanded by ASP Ismael Ssenono, successfully located him.
During interrogation, investigators say the suspect admitted responsibility for Binti’s killing, but then escalated his alleged crimes with a chilling confession of involvement in 48 other ritual murders.
A senior police officer familiar with the case confirmed the suspect’s alleged motive:
“The suspect told detectives that a witch doctor demanded human blood and an index finger for ritual purposes. He alleges that he was paid Shs 5 million for the blood and the finger.”
Kiranda is currently detained at Iganga Central police station, pending transfer to Mbale for the ongoing investigation into Binti’s death.
While the confession has generated intense public alarm, police officials have urged caution regarding the suspect’s unverified claims.
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Investigators face the significant challenge of establishing the full scope of the alleged serial killings, particularly because Kiranda has so far failed to provide the names or identities of the other 48 alleged victims.
Furthermore, the suspect has a documented history that aligns with the current investigation, prompting deeper scrutiny.
“We are making serious efforts to verify his claims regarding the alleged 49 victims, especially because he already has a pending human trafficking case in court. That case bears similarities to the murder of Bint,” the senior police officer noted.
Police have confirmed that investigations are ongoing as they work to corroborate Kiranda’s dramatic claims and establish the definitive timeline and scope of his alleged crimes.
