BWEYOGERERE, Uganda — An emotional memorial service for Uganda Rugby Cranes and Stanbic Black Pirates player Sydney Gongodyo at Kings Park Arena on Sunday took a deeply distressing turn as his father gave the most detailed public account yet of the events leading to his son’s death.
Speaking before teammates, coaches, rugby officials, family members, and friends, the grieving father said CCTV footage reviewed after the incident indicates that Gongodyo was not involved in the robbery that triggered the fatal mob attack, but was instead an innocent passerby caught in a tragic case of mistaken identity near Frobel Stage in Bukoto.
According to his account, the footage shows a woman being robbed of her handbag by two assailants who fled the scene on a waiting boda boda motorcycle.
Moments later, Gongodyo, who was crossing the road nearby, unknowingly arrived at the exact location just as the incident unfolded.
As the woman raised an alarm and called for help, members of the public reportedly turned on the rugby player, wrongly believing he was among the suspects.
Video footage that has since circulated widely on social media shows Gongodyo being surrounded by an agitated crowd as he repeatedly protests his innocence. Witnesses say he was punched, kicked, and beaten for several minutes before being struck with a heavy wooden object, causing him to collapse. The assault is reported to have continued even after he fell to the ground.
Addressing mourners, his father described the footage as painful but clarifying, saying it confirmed that his son was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
He added that the CCTV evidence shows Gongodyo crossing the road when the robbery occurred nearby, before being wrongly identified by members of the public who reacted to the victim’s distress calls.
“The camera shows a lady nearby, and some people snatching a bag from her and jumping onto a boda boda that was waiting,” he said. “Sydney then arrives at the scene just as the woman is shouting for help, and people mistakenly turn on him.”
He said his son tried to explain himself but was overwhelmed by the crowd.
“Sydney was innocent. He was pleading his innocence throughout. Given his discipline as an athlete, he could have run away if he was guilty, but he stayed trying to explain,” he said.
The father described the attack as prolonged and brutal, adding that the family was left devastated by the manner in which Gongodyo died.
“It was extremely painful. He suffered excruciating pain. That is the truth we are dealing with,” he said, while noting that police investigations are ongoing.
Police at Kira Road Police Station have confirmed that three suspects are being held in connection with the death of Gongodyo following the incident, which occurred on 5 June 2026.
According to a police statement, preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased was allegedly subjected to mob action by members of the public who accused him of snatching a woman’s handbag.
Police added that the exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain under active investigation.
The suspects have been identified as Ssebagala Noordin, Ayebazibwe Roden, and Namukose Juliet.
Police said officers responded promptly to the scene and rushed the victim to Mulago National Referral Hospital for emergency treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries at approximately 7:00 p.m. on the same day.
The statement strongly condemned mob justice, warning that such actions undermine the rule of law and can result in the loss of innocent lives. Police further urged the public to report suspected criminal activity to relevant authorities instead of taking the law into their own hands.
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The father further said the family felt compelled to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death following widespread circulation of the video.
“But even with arrests and investigations, Sydney will not come back. We are only trying to clarify what happened,” he added.
The remarks left many mourners visibly emotional at the memorial service, where speakers described Gongodyo as a disciplined athlete, a humble teammate, and a rising star whose life was cut short in a case that has reignited public concern over mob justice in Uganda.
Gongodyo is scheduled to be laid to rest on Monday in Sironko District in eastern Uganda.
