KAMPALA, Uganda — Police in Uganda have arrested two more people in connection with the killing of SC Villa captain David Owori, bringing the number of suspects in custody to four as investigators pursue those believed to have carried out the fatal attack.
The latest arrests came after detectives traced Owori’s mobile phone, which was reportedly stolen during the attack in Kampala.
Uganda Police spokesperson, Kituuma Rusoke said during a weekly joint security media briefing on Monday (August 10, 2026), that investigators had tracked the phone to two people believed to have bought it after it was taken from the footballer. Their identities have not been released.
“Last time we updated you on the arrest of two suspects following the murder of the SC Villa captain. Now we have traced the phone set of the deceased and, during the process, arrested two more suspects whom we believe are the buyers of the stolen phone,” Rusoke said.
“At the moment, we have four suspects and the number may increase.”
Police say the investigation is now focused on people believed to have directly attacked Owori.
“We are zeroing in on the last people who injured the victim, which led to his death,” Rusoke said, adding that the names of additional suspects would be released later.
“Every person who was involved in this will be caught,” he said.
How Owori died
Owori died on August 5, 2026, after he was attacked near his home in Makindye Division, Kampala.
According to police, passers-by found the footballer unconscious and took him to hospital, where he later died from injuries sustained in the attack.
Investigators believe the incident was linked to robbery, with Owori’s mobile phone among the property allegedly taken from him.
The phone subsequently became one of the most important leads in the investigation.
Police first arrested two suspects in connection with the killing. Detectives then traced the stolen device and arrested two additional people believed to have purchased or handled it.
Authorities have not publicly established that the four suspects were involved in the physical attack itself, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Police warning over stolen phones
The arrests have also prompted a warning from Ugandan police to people who purchase second-hand mobile phones without establishing their origin.
Rusoke said people who knowingly or unknowingly buy stolen devices could find themselves drawn into criminal investigations.
“People who buy stolen phones also stand warned,” he said. “Do not be shocked when you buy a phone and get pulled into a murder case.”
He said investigators could examine the movements and transactions surrounding a stolen item before, during and after a serious crime.
A death that shook Ugandan football
Owori’s death has sent shockwaves through Uganda’s football community.
The midfielder was captain of and had also represented Uganda at international level.
He began his senior career with Vipers SC before spending time playing abroad and later returning to Ugandan football.
Owori was part of the SC Villa side that won the 2023/24 Uganda Premier League title, a championship that extended the club’s record to 17 league titles.
His death has drawn mourning from the club, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) and other figures in Ugandan sport, with calls for those responsible to be identified and brought to justice.
Police say the investigation has not ended with the four arrests.
Detectives are continuing to establish how Owori was attacked, who was directly responsible for the injuries that caused his death and how the stolen phone moved between different people after the killing.
The latest arrests demonstrate how investigators can use a stolen device as a key piece of evidence in tracing people connected to a wider criminal investigation.
Police have stressed that the number of suspects could rise as detectives reconstruct the events surrounding the attack.
For now, Owori’s family, teammates and Uganda’s wider football community are waiting for answers over the circumstances of the captain’s death and for those responsible to face justice.
