A first-year student of the University of St Joseph Mbarara has been killed by unknown assailants in Mbarara City.
The deceased has been identified as John Patrick Abenawe, 24, who was pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree at the Catholic-founded university.
According to preliminary police reports, Abenawe was attacked on Sunday night while making his way back to his hostel after watching an English Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal F.C. The assailants reportedly struck him on the head with a blunt object before fleeing the scene.
Rwizi Regional Police spokesperson Samson Kasasira said good Samaritans who found him rushed the student to Divine Mercy Hospital in Mbarara City, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
“He was returning from watching the Arsenal match and heading back to his hostel in Bireere, Isingiro, when the assailants attacked him,” Kasasira said.
Kasasira added that investigations into the killing have since commenced as police work to establish the motive behind the attack and identify the suspects responsible.
The incident marks the second time a student of the University of St Joseph Mbarara has died under unclear circumstances, raising fresh concern about the safety of students in the area.
The body has been handed over to the family for burial at the ancestral home of the deceased in Bitsya, Buhweju District. He will be laid to rest today, Tuesday May 12, 2026.
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