By Investigations into the sudden death of Martha Ahumuza Murari have taken a new turn, with toxicology results from the Government Analytical Laboratory (GAL) ruling out poisoning as the cause of her death.
Ahumuza, who collapsed at Mezo Noir bar in Kololo and was later pronounced dead at Kampala Hospital on March 21, was initially suspected to have been poisoned. However, a detailed toxicological analysis conducted by forensic experts using advanced techniques such as chromatography and mass spectrometry found no traces of toxic substances in her internal organs. The findings were compiled into a formal report and submitted to detectives at Kampala Metropolitan Police headquarters.
A family member confirmed that doctors had privately shared postmortem results, which indicated that Martha died from internal brain bleeding and fluid accumulation in her chest, likely resulting from severe vomiting.
These medical findings have dramatically shifted the focus of the investigation away from earlier suspicions of poisoning.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, SSP Patrick Onyango, confirmed that both the postmortem and toxicology reports had been finalized. He noted that the case file was reviewed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who later advised the release of the two primary suspects Edward Mugabo, a cashier at Mezo Noir, and his brother Joseph Kalenzi on police bond. Both had been arrested shortly after Ahumuza’s death.
While Onyango declined to publicly disclose specific details of the postmortem report, he emphasized that the investigation remains open, and authorities are now exploring alternative explanations for the cause of death as they await further directives from the DPP.
