ENTEBBE, Uganda — The shocking murder of an elderly couple in Lugonjo-Nakiwogo cell, Entebbe, appears to be a targeted attack by an assailant who knew the victims, according to preliminary security findings and reviewed CCTV footage. David Mutaaga, 69, and his wife Deborah Florence Mutaaga, 62, were fatally stabbed in their home.
Security sources revealed that the alleged killer repeatedly called the Mutaagas by their names as he stabbed them, a detail gleaned from the couple’s home surveillance cameras.
“The killer kept on saying; ‘Deborah, do you think it is only you with children? We also want to be well off. You can call whoever you want, but I have come to kill you and nothing will deter me from fulfilling my mission,” a source quoted the assailant as saying after reviewing the CCTV footage.
On Tuesday, police lifted fingerprints from all points the suspected killer touched while entering and fleeing the scene. These fingerprints have been sent to forensic experts, who will work with a team from the National Identification and Registration Authority to identify the assailant.
The Mutaagas had lived and worked in Zurich, Switzerland, for over 30 years before retiring and returning to Uganda about three years ago, settling in Entebbe.
Police believe a dispute over family property may be the motive behind the killings. David Mutaaga was the fourth of six siblings. His late father, Ernest Kibirige, a former headteacher of Budo Junior School, died in 1998. Family members allege that Mutaaga’s father had other children around Kasubi in Kampala who were sidelined. As the heir, David Mutaaga reportedly took full control of his father’s property, and his decisions were considered final, according to a family member.
Deborah reportedly met David Mutaaga while they were both students at Makerere University. The couple married in 1988 and had two children, Mark and Isabel. After a 30-year career as a computer engineer, David Mutaaga decided to retire. Deborah, a professional banker, agreed, and they built their Entebbe home in just two months upon their return.
Following the tragic incident Sunday evening, police have launched a manhunt for the key suspect.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire condemned the murders and reassured the public that perpetrators would be brought to justice.
According to police, David Mutaaga’s body was found near the gate, while his wife’s body was discovered in their bedroom. Police said Mutaaga was killed after a struggle with his attacker, who is suspected to have gained entrance into the home by climbing over a perimeter wall. The hooded assailant reportedly found Mutaaga in the sitting room drinking wine.
Mutaaga and the attacker then engaged in a scuffle, during which the assailant stabbed him in the leg, prompting Mutaaga to raise an alarm. Detectives said Deborah, who was upstairs, looked down and saw the masked man attacking her husband.
“She then went back to her room and tried to make calls,” a detective said.
The struggle between Mutaaga and the assailant continued to the gate, where Mutaaga was overpowered and fatally stabbed in the neck. The killer then reportedly went back upstairs, found Deborah still making calls to relatives, and stabbed her twice, also killing her.
The Police Annual Crime Report 2024 indicates that a total of 4,329 homicide cases were reported by the end of last year, compared to 4,248 homicides in 2023.
