Friends and family attended Magambo’s funeral service, which was held at Makenke Church of Uganda
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Preliminary investigations into the death of the 19-year-old Elvis Magambo, a former Senior Five student of Ntale School have revealed that he drowned in River Rwizi. This means that he might have been thrown into the river by assialants or committed suicide.
The incident happened on Thursday, July 10, 2025, when Magambo, who had been suspended from the prestigious school in Mbarara City less than two weeks prior, was confirmed dead by both school authorities and his family members.
According to Wilson Ndezi, the Deputy Head Teacher, the student’s troubles began when he allegedly breached school rules.
“True, Elvis was our student in Senior Five pursuing Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics (BCM). He finished the first term successfully, but in second term, on Saturday, June 28, 2025, he escaped from school and was intercepted as he tried to re-enter after jumping over the perimeter wall at around 8 pm,” Mr. Ndezi noted.
Due to the indiscipline, school administrators took disciplinary action.
“We regret the incident and condole with the family. We were waiting for the board of governors to convene and decide his fate, only to learn of his death,” he added.
During an emotional funeral service at Makenke Church of Uganda, Magambo’s parents reflected on the tragic loss of their son. His father, Dr. Emmanuel Magambo, expressed his deep sorrow while blaming external influences.
“My son was disciplined, calm, and obedient, but got spoilt after joining Ntare School. As a family, we will dearly miss him,” he said.
Dr. Magambo also voiced suspicion about the circumstances surrounding his son’s death.
“His body had stab marks on the arm and other parts, which indicates he might have been killed and later dumped in River Rwizi.”
The emotional toll was equally heavy on Ms. Christine Magambo, the deceased’s mother, who recounted her final moments with Elvis.
“After counseling him on Wednesday morning, he promised to get saved. I went into my room to pray, and when I returned, he was nowhere to be seen — only to receive the devastating news of his death,” she told the mourners.
As the community grapples with the loss, local police have begun investigating the incident.
Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson, Samson Kasasira, confirmed the recovery of a decomposing body from River Rwizi and provided an update on the inquiry.
“Yesterday, a decomposing body of a male adult was discovered floating in River Rwizi. Residents alerted police, and the body was retrieved and taken to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for a postmortem,” he said, adding that the cause of death has not yet been confirmed. He said that they strongly suspect drowning as the cause of death.
