MBARARA CITY
Police in Mbarara City have opened a General Inquiry File (GIF) following a late-night fire that claimed the life of a 55-year-old businessman in what investigators suspect may have been a case of suicide.
The incident occurred on Monday night, June 29, 2026, at Bishop Wills Building on Garage Street in Muti Cell, Kakoba Division. Police received a distress call at about 10:45 p.m. reporting that an electronics shop belonging to Fred Tumusiime, a resident of Nyakaizi in Kakoba Division, was on fire.
According to the Rwizi Regional Police spokesperson, SP Samson Kasasira, the Fire and Rescue Services team responded promptly and managed to extinguish the blaze. Although the fire completely destroyed property inside the electronics shop, firefighters prevented it from spreading to neighbouring business premises.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Tumusiime was inside the shop when the fire broke out. He was rescued alive by residents and officers from the Fire and Rescue Services, but had sustained severe burns.
He was rushed to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in critical condition, where he died at about 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
Police say preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been deliberately started.
According to SP Kasasira, investigators have established that Tumusiime had reportedly been struggling emotionally since the death of his wife five years ago.
Police further allege that on the night of the incident, at around 10:00 p.m., Tumusiime left his mobile phones at his home in Nyakaizi, walked to his electronics shop in Muti Cell, locked himself inside, and the fire subsequently broke out.
"Investigations into the exact circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing. However, based on the preliminary findings, we are treating the matter as a case of suspected suicide," SP Kasasira said.
Police have appealed to members of the public to allow investigators to complete their inquiries before drawing conclusions about the incident.
