Family in Shock After “Buried” Man Found Alive in Western Uganda
A family in western Uganda was left in disbelief after a man they believed dead and had already buried was found alive just a day later, triggering confusion and an urgent investigation into a case of mistaken identity.
The incident occurred in Masindi, where the family of Yakobo Kamuturaki had been mourning the apparent death of their relative, Godwin Baguma, who had been missing for several days.
According to reporting by Daily Monitor, police on April 17 recovered a decomposing body from a sugarcane plantation and transported it to a local hospital. Authorities then called on residents to help identify the remains.
Kamuturaki said he instructed his sons to view the body at the hospital, suspecting it might belong to their missing relative, who reportedly had a history of mental health challenges. The sons later confirmed it was Baguma.
“We were told the body was badly decomposed. My sons identified it as their brother. We trusted them and accepted that he had died,” Kamuturaki said.
Following the identification, the family proceeded with burial arrangements. The body was interred on April 19, and mourning ceremonies began the following day.
However, events took a dramatic turn on April 20, when reports emerged that Baguma had been spotted alive in the Lubongo area. Initially dismissing the claims as rumors, family members later decided to verify the information.
Jane Birungi, Baguma’s sister, described the moment they found him alive: “At first, we thought it was false information since we had already buried him. But when we went to check, we were shocked. We could not believe he was standing there alive.”
The family immediately brought Baguma home and halted the mourning ceremonies. Plans were then initiated to exhume the body that had been buried a day earlier.
A local resident, Florence Bikorwa, said the situation left the community stunned. “It felt like a movie. People were confused and frightened. No one could understand what had happened,” she said.
The exhumed body has since been returned to a hospital in Masindi, where authorities are working to identify the deceased and locate the rightful family for proper burial.
Godwin Baguma, dressed in a yellow shirt, shocked those attending his funeral.
