Shock as man surfaces at his funeral in Masindi

Masindi: Residents of Kijura Central Cell, Central Division in Masindi Municipality have been left in shock after a man they believed dead resurfaced alive on the very day he was due to be buried.

Godwin Baguma, who reportedly has a mental disorder, had been missing for three weeks. According to his father, Yakobo Kamuturaki, the family received information over the weekend that police had recovered a decomposing body from a sugarcane plantation in Kisanja Cell.

Kamuturaki said he sent his sons to identify the body at Masindi Hospital Mortuary, where they confirmed it as Baguma. Burial arrangements were immediately made, with announcements even aired on local radio stations.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the family received reports on Monday morning that Baguma was alive in Kihanguzi Village, Labbongo Sub-county in Masindi District. Relatives quickly rushed there and confirmed he was indeed alive.

The discovery forced the family to halt the burial and exhume the body they had partially buried. The remains, now believed to belong to an unidentified person, are being returned to Masindi Hospital Mortuary.

Kamuturaki expressed relief at finding his son alive, despite the emotional distress and financial costs incurred during burial preparations.

Residents described the incident as unprecedented. Janet Asiimwe, a neighbor, said the body had been collected from the mortuary a day earlier, but due to its decomposed state, it was buried overnight as preparations for the funeral continued.

Florence Bikorwa and Abdul Musinguzi, other residents, said they were stunned to see Baguma reappear after news of his death had already spread throughout the community.

Jane Birungi, Baguma’s sister, said they were alerted by a family friend who had hosted him overnight, prompting them to retrieve him. She noted that although the family had spent money preparing for the burial, they are grateful he is alive.

Meanwhile, Solomon Mugisa, the Albertine North Community Liaison Officer and acting regional police spokesperson, confirmed that police had recovered a decomposing body last Friday and taken it to the mortuary.

He said a family from Kijura Central Cell initially identified the body as their relative and proceeded with burial arrangements. However, they later reversed their claim, prompting the exhumation and return of the body to the mortuary.

The case is being investigated under reference Masindi CRB 017/2026.

Mugisa advised the public to follow proper legal procedures when conducting exhumations, including obtaining a court order, an LC1 recommendation letter, and involving the police.

By press time, the family was preparing to hold a thanksgiving ceremony to celebrate Baguma’s return.

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