Police have arrested five additional suspects in connection with the death of rugby player Sydney Gongodyo, bringing the total number of people in custody to eight as investigations into the alleged mob killing continue.
In a statement issued as detectives intensified inquiries into the June 5, 2026 incident, the Uganda Police Force said the new arrests follow ongoing efforts to establish all individuals involved in the attack that led to the death of the professional rugby player.
“The suspects are identified as Ssebagala Noordin, Ayebazibwe Roden, Namukose Juliet, Mondoni Elly, Twinomujuni Herbert, Katsigazi Perigrino, Tayebwa Darlious, and Tugume Hannington,” the statement read.
Police added that operations are still underway to identify, trace, and apprehend other individuals believed to have taken part in the incident, signalling a widening probe into what authorities have described as a mob assault.
Gongodyo, a Rugby Cranes and Stanbic Black Pirates forward, died after being attacked by members of the public in the Bukoto–Kira Road area of Kampala.
Initial reports indicated that the confrontation was triggered by allegations linking him to a handbag snatching incident, which later escalated into mob action.
He was rushed to Mulago National Referral Hospital following the assault but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The case has drawn widespread public attention within Uganda’s sporting and legal circles, with questions raised over crowd behaviour and the escalation of mob justice incidents in urban centres.
Earlier accounts from the victim’s family suggested that Gongodyo may have been mistakenly targeted, with claims that CCTV footage reviewed privately indicated he was not involved in the alleged theft and was instead caught up in the chaos.