Investigators say the suspect admitted responsibility for Binti’s killing and went further to claim involvement in 48 other ritual murders.
A 27-year-old man, Fahad Kiranda, who was arrested for allegedly defiling and murdering a 15-year-old student, has reportedly confessed to killing 48 girls in ritual murders.
Kiranda was arrested over the weekend in Mayuge town council, Mayuge district, where he has been hiding, in connection with the defilement and murder of Sumaya Edrisa Binti, a senior two student at Nakaloke secondary school.
Binti’s body was discovered on March 23, 2025, inside a lodge room in Mbale. So far, investigators say Kiranda has failed to provide names or identities of the other alleged victims. According to police records, on the morning of March 23, Kiranda checked into Grace Guesthouse in Mbale at about 9:00 am, requesting a room where he intended to spend the night.
The guesthouse receptionist, Peter Nabende, reportedly showed him several rooms, which he rejected before settling on Room 11, citing concerns about space. The suspect told management that his girlfriend would later join him.
After paying for the room, he was left alone. About four hours later, a staff member entered the room and discovered Binti’s naked body tied to the bed with a mosquito net, with one finger severed.
By then, the suspect had fled. Police say that shortly after the discovery, Kiranda allegedly called the guesthouse manager and asked him to check Room 11 for their belongings. The murder was reported at Nkoma police station, but investigators struggled to identify and trace the suspect until his arrest last week.
According to Rogers Taitika, Elgon Region police spokesperson, Kiranda’s arrest followed months of intelligence-led surveillance conducted by crime intelligence operatives under the command of ASP Ismael Ssenono.
Investigators say the suspect admitted responsibility for Binti’s killing and went further to claim involvement in 48 other ritual murders.
“The suspect told detectives that a witch doctor demanded human blood and an index finger for ritual purposes. He alleges that he was paid sh5m for the blood and the finger,” a senior police officer familiar with the investigations said.
Kiranda is currently being held at Iganga Central police station, pending transfer to Mbale city, where investigations into Binti’s murder are ongoing. Police, however, have urged caution regarding the suspect’s claims.
“We are making serious efforts to verify his claims regarding the alleged 49 victims, especially because he already has a pending human trafficking case in court. That case bears similarities to the murder of Bint,” the officer said.
Police say investigations are ongoing as they seek to establish the full scope of the suspect’s alleged crimes and verify his claims.
