KAMPALA — A mother involved in a divorce case with a businessman over alleged infidelity has been taken into custody following the death of their two-year-old baby, just hours before a paternity test was scheduled.
Police confirmed they are holding Ms Joline Mutesi, the wife of Mr Chris Rugari, as they re-examine the body of the baby, Nganwa Rugari, who died on April 2.
The parents of the deceased, who are residents of Mutungo Zone 8, Nakawa Division in Kampala, are in a family court at Nakawa battling a divorce case after the husband accused the wife of infidelity.
Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said Mr Rugari contested the cause of the death of the child, prompting further examinations.
Police are investigating whether the child’s death was linked to a high-stakes paternity dispute between the boy’s mother, and her estranged husband, diplomat Chris Rugari, as the investigation reveals troubling details surrounding the circumstances of the death.
“The Police at Jinja Road are currently investigating the tragic death of a two-year-old child,” said ASP Owoyesigyire.
“Preliminary findings indicate that on the evening of April 1, 2025, the child allegedly fell from the first floor of a building.”
The boy’s mother, Ms. Mutesi reportedly rushed him to Kitintale Hospital, where he was examined and discharged with a recommendation for a CT scan. However, Owoyesigyire said the child was brought back to the hospital around 5 a.m. the next day “in critical condition and was pronounced dead upon examination.”
Police opened a death inquiry and transported the child’s body to Mulago City Mortuary for a postmortem.
“Initial observations revealed no visible physical injuries on the body,” Owoyesigyire said.
In a separate statement released later on Sunday, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesman Patrick Onyango said the mother was arrested after several key findings, among them “the window from which the child allegedly fell from, was found permanently closed”.
“When the police forensic team examined the child’s body at the hospital, they found no signs of trauma—no swelling, bleeding, injuries, or even a scratch,” a family member said of the developments.
Mutesi is currently in custody at Jinja Road Police Station to assist with the ongoing investigation.
Jinja Road District Police Commander (DPC), Superintendent of Police Patrick Opiyo, confirmed that Mutesi, 40, is being held at Jinja Road Police Station as police investigate the myesterious conditions leading to the child’s death.
A senior detective close to the probe confirmed that a paternity test is being conducted on the child.
While the cause of death has yet to be determined, the case has gained attention due to an ongoing legal dispute between Mutesi and her estranged husband, Chris Rugari, a diplomat, involving a contentious divorce proceeding before the Family Division of the High Court in Kampala and questions surrounding the child’s paternity.
DNA testing previously conducted on the three older children, aged 14, 12, and 10, revealed that two were not Mr. Rugari’s biological offspring.
On the day of the death of the Nganwa Rugari, he and his 12-month-old sister, who also resides with the mother, were scheduled for DNA testing as part of the ongoing divorce procedures,” sources close to the dispute said.
Detectives are now investigating whether the child was killed to cover up or delay the paternity tests.
A family member said that when the child was confirmed dead, Mutesi immediately began calling relatives and friends, asking them to rush to the hospital and take the body to a funeral home.
She was reportedly preoccupied with burial arrangements minutes after the child was pronounced dead and wanted the body moved from the hospital immediately,” the source added.
However, when Rugari’s relatives arrived, they rejected her plan to remove the body before police could examine it, which is standard procedure for accidental deaths.
DNA fracas
The boy’s father, Rugari, is currently seeking a divorce from his wife, identified as Dusabe, on grounds of infidelity. According to a source close to the family, DNA tests conducted in 2023 on the couple’s first three children revealed that two were not biologically his.
Following those results, a court ordered DNA testing for all five children in the family—including the two-year-old, who had not been previously tested. The test was reportedly scheduled to take place on the afternoon of April 2, the same day the child was pronounced dead.
“The court then ordered DNA testing for all five children, including the deceased, who had not been previously tested,” the source said.
FULL STATEMENT BY KAMPALA METROPOLITAN POLICE SPOKESMAN
Jinja Road police have launched an investigation into the death of two-year-old Nganwa, a resident of Mutungo zone 8, who fell from the first floor of a building on April 1, 2025, at around 8:30 p.m. The child’s mother, Joline Mutesi, immediately called an ambulance, and they arrived at Kitintale Hospital at 10 p.m.
Medical Response and Investigation
– The doctor on duty examined the child, prescribed painkillers, and recommended a CT scan due to the reported fall.
– Despite the fall, the child appeared well, and the doctor did not admit them to the hospital.
– The next day, at 5 a.m., the mother returned with the child, who was then pronounced dead by the doctor.
– Police were notified, opened a death inquiry file, and visited the crime scene.
– The child’s body was taken to KCCA mortuary in Mulago for a post-mortem examination.
Key Findings
– The body showed no signs of physical injuries.
– The window from which the child allegedly fell had no burglar bars, was closed, and had an intact lock.
– The police have arrested a suspect to aid in the investigation.-
P Onyango
SSP
– PRO KMP
– 6 Apr 2025
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