Two suspects arrested over Entebbe couple murder

The police in Entebbe have arrested two suspects in connection with the gruesome murder of David Mutaaga and Deborah Florence Mutaaga, a couple who recently returned from Switzerland.

The Mutaagas, who had lived in Zurich for over 30 years, were brutally murdered on Sunday at their home in Lugonjo, Nakiwogo Cell, Entebbe municipality, Wakiso district. The couple had hosted a party on Sunday evening with friends and relatives to celebrate their return to Uganda.

However, just two hours after the celebrations ended, a masked intruder scaled the perimeter wall and fatally stabbed both David and Deborah. Kampala Metropolitan Police spokespersons Patrick Onyango and Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the murders and said the force is pursuing all leads to apprehend those responsible.

So far, two people, Angela Nakalema and David Golooba have been arrested to assist with investigations. According to police, both suspects were workers at the Mutaaga residence, although they did not live on the premises. They reportedly left the home at around 7:45 p.m, shortly before the attack.

“We have arrested these people to help in our investigations. We are trying to search for the murderer and also trying to understand what could be the motive for this crime,” Onyango said.

Detectives have since reviewed footage from the home’s Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) system. The footage shows a man dressed in black with a masked face scaling the perimeter wall using an electric pole. According to police, the killer had conducted prior surveillance and knew how to avoid the cameras.

“This was not a robber but a true murderer who did not want any item from the couple. His mission was to kill them. He had done enough surveillance, and he knew where to pass and knew all the camera points,” one detective said.

In the footage, the killer is reportedly heard telling the couple that he had come to kill them. He first attacked David, stabbing him in the chest near the heart, then dragged him outside and ordered him to open the remote-controlled gate.

“After opening the gate, he stabbed him several times until he was sure he was dead. He later walked back into the house and went upstairs to the woman’s bedroom. He broke the door, which the woman had locked after witnessing her husband being killed. She was also stabbed and left naked, with her legs spread,” an investigator revealed.

At the time of the attack, David was drinking a glass of wine while Deborah was on her mobile phone. She used it to call for help, contacting Angela Nakalema, David Golooba, a neighbour, and a friend.

“Deborah called Angela Nakalema and asked her and David Golooba to return because they had been attacked. She also called one of the neighbours and another friend. She really tried to call for help, but this help came a bit late,” the police said.

One neighbour who received the distress call alerted Entebbe police. Officers arrived at the scene but were too late to save the couple. They found the gate open and David’s body near the exit. Inside the house, investigators discovered that nothing had been stolen; the couple’s mobile phones and cash were left untouched.

Based on what the killer said, as captured on CCTV, detectives suspect the motive may be linked to a family dispute over property. It is alleged that David inherited property from his late father but chose not to share it with his siblings, opting instead to live abroad.

Police believe some family members may have harboured resentment and saw the couple’s return to Uganda as an opportunity to exact revenge. However, investigators caution that this narrative is still unconfirmed, and the killer’s statements could be a diversion to conceal the real motive.