Kabera had reportedly been killed and beheaded by unidentified assailants, although the circumstances surrounding the murder and the motive remain unclear.
Police have launched investigations into the murder of former Rwandan soldier and musician Robert Kabera, popularly known as Sergeant Robert, whose headless body was discovered in Luwala Village, Mpigi District.
Kabera’s brother, Victor Agaba, began searching for him on the morning of October 17 after failing to find him at home following his return from Kampala the previous evening.
The search ended in tragedy when local leaders informed Agaba at about 2:00pm that an unidentified headless body had been discovered in Luwala Village, Kammengo sub-county.
Agaba rushed to the scene, where he found the body lying in a pool of blood.
A scar on the right thumb and a pair of shoes found near the body helped him identify the deceased as his brother.
“It was a terrible spectacle,” an eyewitness, who requested anonymity, said, describing the scene as a swarm of flies hovered over the body.
Kabera had reportedly been killed and beheaded by unidentified assailants, although the circumstances surrounding the murder and the motive remain unclear.
Police at Kammengo, supported by detectives in Kampala, have since opened an investigation into the killing.
During the preliminary investigations, officers recovered a large stick suspected to have been used in the attack, two beer bottles — one empty and another half-full — and the deceased’s shoes.
Investigators are expected to establish the circumstances of the murder, identify the assailants and determine whether Kabera’s previously reported security concerns had any connection to his death.
Reconstructing his final movements
Family members said Kabera arrived from Kampala at about 7:00pm on October 16, accompanied by his regular boda boda rider, identified only as Innocent.
After greeting Agaba, he reportedly left with the rider for a nearby bar in Luwala trading centre.
A family member said Kabera returned home at about 11:30pm to collect his phone before leaving again.
However, a bar attendant reportedly told Agaba that Kabera had last been seen at about 9:30pm the previous night.
After failing to find his brother at home, Agaba initially suspected that he might have spent the night at a nearby lodge and proceeded to his gardens.
He later received the devastating news that a headless body had been discovered in the village.
Police have not yet established where Kabera was killed or how he ended up at the scene where his body was found.
Previous threats to his life
The murder has brought renewed attention to threats Kabera reportedly received in previous years.
In a letter dated October 23, 2023, Sserwanga Village LC1 leaders in Lubaga Division, Kampala, informed police about an alleged attack on Kabera along Rubaga Road.
According to the letter, three men attacked him before fleeing in a black car without number plates after he shouted for help.
Before leaving, the attackers reportedly threatened to kill him regardless of where he sought refuge.
“Even if you run to America, we will find you and kill you,” the letter quoted the assailants as saying.
The village council appealed to Old Kampala Police Station to investigate the incident and assist Kabera, whom the leaders said feared for his life.
The document bears a police receipt stamp dated October 23, 2023, but does not identify the alleged attackers.
Kabera had also reportedly raised concerns about his safety in 2021, when local leaders appealed to refugee protection authorities for assistance.
It remains unclear what action was taken following the earlier appeals. Police have also not established any connection between the reported threats and the latest killing.
From military service to exile
Before settling in Uganda, Kabera was known in Rwanda for combining military service with a music career.
According to a profile published by Rwanda’s The New Times in July 2020, he joined the army in 1993 and became part of its military band. He had previously sung in church choirs.
He later gained recognition as a soloist in the Army Jazz Band and as an independent performer, earning the stage name Sergeant Robert.
His music featured in Rwanda’s Liberation Day commemorations, giving him a public profile beyond his military duties. He also served as a military instructor.
By November 2020, Kabera had fled Rwanda and was seeking protection in Uganda.
In a media interview following his arrival, he said he crossed into Uganda on November 19, 2020, because he feared persecution.
He attributed part of his predicament to his relationship with the family of the late Fred Rwigema, the first commander of the Rwandan Patriotic Front.
However, Rwandan authorities presented a different account of the circumstances surrounding his departure.
In a statement dated November 23, 2020, the Rwanda Defence Force said its Military Prosecution Department was investigating allegations that Kabera had defiled a family member in Ndera Sector, Gasabo District, on November 21. The alleged victim was reported to be 15 years old.
Kabera denied the accusation, describing it as fabricated and politically motivated. He maintained that he had already entered Uganda two days before the alleged offence.
The final outcome of the investigation could not be established from the available information.
Arrested in Kampala
In May 2022, Ugandan security personnel arrested Kabera at his home in Masanafu, Kampala, amid allegations of gun smuggling and unlawful possession of firearms.
ChimpReports reported at the time that his lawyer said a search of the residence had not recovered any guns. The publication also reported that Kabera had obtained refugee status in Uganda.
His murder in Mpigi has now raised fresh questions about the circumstances surrounding his death and whether his previous security concerns could help investigators establish a motive.
Police are expected to piece together his final movements, examine the evidence recovered at the scene and identify those responsible for the killing.
For now, the motive remains unknown, and no suspect has been identified in the information available.