Extortion Probe: Hoima RDC Rushed to Kampala Hospital as Health Deteriorates in Police Custody

What the report says

Hoima Resident District Commissioner Rogers Mbabazi has been moved to a Kampala medical facility after his health reportedly worsened while he was in police custody, according to Watchdog Uganda. Mbabazi was arrested on Saturday by detectives from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit at Kigorobya Muslim Primary School in Kigorobya Sub-county, following complaints raised by residents during the ongoing Expose the Corrupt Campaign.

The report says he was first held at Hoima Central Police Station, where he developed an illness, then taken to EDPA Hospital in Hoima City for treatment. When his condition did not improve and later deteriorated further, doctors referred him to Kampala for additional care. Albertine Region Police spokesperson Julius Hakiza confirmed the transfer and said Mbabazi remained under police guard while receiving treatment.

The allegations against the RDC center on claims that he demanded money from people seeking help in land-related disputes. Some residents reportedly said the sums ranged from Shs1 million to Shs5 million. Others accused him of working with people linked to land grabbing and threatening residents with eviction from ancestral land.

Watchdog Uganda said the arrest followed complaints heard by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara, though the allegations have not been proven and investigations are continuing. The case adds to wider public concern in Uganda over corruption complaints, abuse of office and land-related disputes, especially in areas where residents say they face pressure from powerful officials or connected individuals.