Body of Ugandan student who died in Egyptian police cells returned, buried

The body of a Ugandan student who died in Egyptian police cells has been returned and laid to rest at his ancestral police in Luwero district.

Ahmad Mukasa Nsanja, 30, was a student at Alazhar University in Cairo. He was arrested on December 27, 2023 after he was found with no visa. He was detained at First Settlement police station. On January 5, 2024, the family got communication from the Ugandan Embassy in Cairo that Mukasa had died in police cells.

Since then the family and fellow students have been mobilising for Shs 15 million to transport back the dead body and on Monday, Mukasa’s body brought back into the country and he was laid to rest at his ancestral home at Kigombe village in Luwero sub-county on Tuesday.

His mother, Nusurah Nalwoga burst into tears and demanded that the coffin containing her son be opened three times for her viewing to prove that he was dead. Sheikh Ramadhan Mulindwa the Luwero District Kadhi told the mourners that they are yet to get a copy of the postmortem detailing the circumstances that led to Mukasa’s death.

Mulindwa who is also a brother to the deceased said that the Ugandan Embassy told them they were only informed that Ahmad died within police cells and two people are under investigation over the matter. Mulindwa added that the family is relieved that they have secured the dead body for burial and left the matter to the Egyptian government to ensure justice is done if it is established that he was killed in the cells.

Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje said the arrest of a person is lawful but he should be prosecuted before the judge rather than dying under unclear circumstances in police cells. Mubaje demanded an explanation from Uganda’s Embassy in Egypt, saying that there reports that Mukasa could have been tortured to death.

Mubaje also asked the parliament of Uganda to increase budget allocations to missions abroad so that they can be able to respond to emergencies like the death of sick Ugandans rather than leaving the matters to poor families at home. The late Mukasa went to Egypt in 2019 and met his death while there in December 2023.

In a letter dated January 5, 2024 shared with Uganda Embassy in Cairo and the family, the district prosecutor Ismail Hafeez ordered the chief of the First Settlement Police Department to investigate Noor Muhamadi Ali Abdulalbaky and Muhamadi Sharif Salaama Alsobby over the death of Mukasa.

Hafeez also ordered the public health officer to carry out a postmortem on the deceased and ensure all those who are responsible are prosecuted. He also ordered an investigating officer to establish the circumstances that led to the death of Mukasa. He also tasked the police chief to notify Uganda’s embassy and the family about the death of Mukasa as well as write a report on the matter.