Masaka Police Reopen Old Murder Files After Arrest of Suspected Serial Killer

Police in Greater Masaka have reopened files on a series of murders dating back to 2012 following the arrest of a man identified as Fred Mujulizi, a suspected serial killer who has been on the police wanted list for more than a decade. 

Mujulizi, who was also identified by the name Kulaish Kamugisha, appeared before Masaka Grade One Magistrate Primer Kyomugisha alongside Huzairuh Kyambadde. 

The two were charged with two counts of murder and human trafficking. According to the charge sheet, Mujulizi allegedly murdered an unidentified woman on September 28, 2026, in a suspected ritual killing. Prosecutors allege that he lured the woman with a promise of an intimate relationship before beheading her. 

Kyambadde, a resident of Nkoni Trading Centre in Lwengo District, is accused of procuring the killing for witchcraft purposes. 

Police say Mujulizi confessed to the offences, claiming that he committed the killing in pursuit of wealth. A subsequent search of his home in Butale Cell, Nyendo-Mukungwe Division, Masaka City, reportedly yielded exhibits that investigators believe could corroborate his account. 

The two accused appeared in court under tight security and were remanded to Masaka Central Prison until November 5, 2026, as investigations continue.Twaha Kasirye, the Greater Masaka Regional Police spokesperson, said investigators were reviewing files relating to previous murders to establish whether Mujulizi was involved in the killings. 

Kasirye said police were also receiving people who had come forward to accuse the suspect of murdering their relatives. He added that further charges could follow if investigations produce sufficient evidence.

Mujulizi has been on the police wanted list since 2012, when he was linked to a series of killings in the Greater Masaka sub-region.

In 2013, the Director of Criminal Investigations released his photograph to the public, identifying him as a wanted suspect in connection with several murders, including the killing of nine members of one family in Kannabulemu Village, Kyebe Sub-county, Kyotera District. 

In that incident, Mujulizi and his alleged accomplices reportedly drilled a hole into the house of Pentecostal pastor Steven Mugambe before hacking the occupants to death. 

Police also linked him to the killing of six people from two families in Kyannamukaaka Sub-county, Masaka District, in late 2012.In 2023, police again linked Mujulizi to the murder of five people from two families in Kijonjo Village, Buwunga Sub-county, Masaka District. Previous police accounts described him as part of a criminal gang suspected of carrying out contract killings and reprisal attacks. 

Police have previously reported that Mujulizi was arrested more than once but allegedly escaped from custody on two occasions. In another incident, he was reportedly released after promising to help security agencies apprehend his alleged accomplices, but allegedly fled and went into hiding. 

Investigators are now examining the earlier cases to determine whether evidence exists to support additional charges against him. 

The latest arrest could provide an opportunity to revisit unresolved killings in the Greater Masaka sub-region, although any further prosecution will depend on the evidence gathered by investigators.