The late Lydia Babirye Sengendo
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Mystery still shrouds the death of Lydia Babirye Sengendo, a 52-year-old estates manager and resident of Kigowa, Ntinda, whose abduction, ransom ordeal and eventual murder have left family members, friends and security agencies searching for answers.
Sengendo, a prominent Kampala businesswoman and daughter of the late Paul Ssengendo, was reportedly kidnapped in early June before being held captive by her abductors, who demanded money from her family in exchange for her release. Despite the family raising and transferring millions of shillings in ransom payments, she was later found dead under gruesome circumstances.
The tragedy has shocked many across Kampala and Buganda, not only because of the brutality involved but also because of the unanswered questions surrounding her final days.
According to preliminary reports, Sengendo disappeared on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Investigators say she was last seen boarding a commercial taxi in Busunju before all communication with her abruptly ceased.
Soon after her disappearance, her family began receiving messages from kidnappers using Sengendo’s personal mobile phone. The communications were reportedly conducted through WhatsApp and were directed mainly at her daughter during late-night conversations.
The kidnappers initially demanded Shs19 million, threatening harm if their demands were not met. Family members, desperate to save her life, scrambled to raise the money.
Unable to mobilize the full amount, they reportedly transferred Shs8 million in two installments. The first payment consisted of Shs1 million, followed by a second transfer of Shs7 million.
Relatives hoped the payments would secure her freedom. However, investigators now believe Sengendo may already have been subjected to severe violence while in captivity.
The mystery deepened when security agencies launched an intensive search operation after communication with the kidnappers ceased. Days later, the grim discovery was made.
On Sunday, June 7, a joint security team located Sengendo’s decomposing body inside a residential house in Kiteredde Village, Kakiri Town Council in Wakiso District.
Investigators described a chilling crime scene. Her body was found wrapped inside a mattress cover and tightly bound with ropes, suggesting an attempt to conceal evidence and delay identification.
Forensic officers also discovered a freshly dug grave within the compound. Detectives suspect the grave had been prepared to secretly dispose of the body and permanently erase traces of the crime.
The discovery raised further questions about whether the kidnappers had planned the murder from the beginning, despite continuing to demand ransom payments from the family.
The Uganda Police Force says investigations quickly focused on tracing the financial transactions used to receive the ransom money.
According to police, several individuals were initially rounded up for questioning as intelligence teams pieced together the movements of the suspects.
The breakthrough came with the arrest of Abubakar Ntege in Nateete. Security agencies reportedly tracked the ransom payments to him, leading to his apprehension.
During interrogation, police say Ntege confessed and directed detectives to his home in Kakiri, where Sengendo’s body was being hidden.
A second suspect, Shafiq Kagga, was subsequently arrested and remains in custody as a key accomplice in the case.
The Kampala Metropolitan Police confirmed that Sengendo’s remains were transferred to the KCCA City Mortuary in Mulago for a postmortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.
While the arrests have provided some progress in the investigation, authorities say the motive behind the killing remains unclear. Detectives are still trying to determine whether the crime was purely financially motivated or if other factors were involved.
As investigations continue, family members are mourning the loss of a woman remembered as a hardworking professional and respected member of society. Her death has also reignited public concern over the growing threat of kidnappings for ransom and the vulnerability of victims even after ransom demands are met.
For now, many questions remain unanswered, leaving a cloud of uncertainty over one of the most disturbing criminal cases reported in the Kampala metropolitan area this year.
