Ibanda – April 6, 2025
Grief and outrage has descended upon Ibanda District following the brutal killing of Maclean, the Human Resource Officer of Ibanda Municipality, in a case suspected to be rooted in domestic violence. The prime suspect is none other than her husband, Amwiine Innocent, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Registrar for Ibanda District, who is now on the run.
Maclean succumbed to her injuries early today at Kampala International University Hospital in Ishaka – Bushenyi Municipality after days of battling for her life in critical condition. Her death has shocked the community, prompted a police manhunt, and sparked calls for justice and stronger protections against domestic violence.
According to family and community sources, the fatal incident was allegedly triggered by suspicions of infidelity. Reports suggest that Amwiine was tipped off by a woman who accused Maclean of being romantically involved with another man. An enraged Amwiine is said to have confronted his wife, and what began as a heated exchange reportedly escalated into a vicious beating.
Instead of seeking medical help, Amwiine allegedly locked his injured wife inside their home and fled. It took the intervention of his own brother to alert Maclean’s father, who rescued her from the house and rushed her to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was later transferred to KIU Hospital, where she passed away early today.
However another account has also surfaced. Some sources allege the fatal dispute stemmed from a disagreement over a phone Maclean had bought for her son, who was set to join university. Amwiine reportedly seized the phone and gave it to his girlfriend in Nyabuhikye Trading Centre. When Maclean went to retrieve the phone from the girlfriend, she was allegedly assaulted by the woman and later picked up by bystanders and taken home.
That evening, Amwiine is said to have returned home and continued the assault, allegedly telling locals he was “finishing off what had started in the trading centre.”
The news of Maclean’s death has devastated family, colleagues, and residents of Ibanda, many of whom described her as diligent, kind-hearted, and devoted to public servant. A heavy silence hangs over the district headquarters as civil servants and residents alike struggle to come to terms with the tragedy.
Ibanda Central Police Station has confirmed that a formal case has been opened and investigations are in full gear. Amwiine Innocent, who fled the scene shortly after the incident, is now a fugitive. Authorities have launched a manhunt and are appealing to the public to provide any information that could lead to his arrest.
The incident has ignited fury on social media and among civil society groups. Women’s rights activists and members of the public have condemned the killing, calling it a reflection of Uganda’s growing crisis of gender-based violence.
“Maclean’s murder is not just a domestic tragedy—it’s a national indictment,” said a women’s rights advocate in Ibanda. “This cannot be treated as a private matter because the suspect is politically connected. We demand accountability.”
As the family prepares to bury their loved one, questions linger: Could this have been prevented? Were there previous signs of abuse? Why did it take a tragedy for intervention to come?
What is certain is that Maclean’s death has become a painful symbol of the urgent need for Uganda to confront domestic violence with the seriousness it deserves. Civil society and citizens alike are demanding that the law take its full course—regardless of the suspect’s status.
As the search for Amwiine continues, many in Ibanda and beyond hope that justice for Maclean will be swift, resolute, and unyielding.
