Uganda Police have arrested 12 Senior One students following the circulation of a disturbing video showing a group of teenagers assaulting a fellow student, according to police.
The footage circulated widely on social media on September 17, drawing public concern and calls for authorities to identify those seen in the video. Police have since confirmed that all 12 suspects are in custody at Kabalagala Police Station as investigations continue.
According to police, the suspects are all students currently in Senior One. The prime suspect is aged 16, while the other suspects are reportedly between 14 and 17 years old.
The arrests were carried out on September 17 and 18 during an intelligence-led operation in Nakibinge Zone, Kibuli Parish, within Makindye Division, Kampala District.
Police said the final arrests were made at approximately 2:00 a.m. on September 18, bringing the number of suspects in custody to 12.
The case emerged after the video showed several teenagers surrounding and assaulting another student, who appeared unconscious by the end of the footage. The circumstances leading to the incident have not been fully detailed in the information released by police.
The arrests have attracted public attention after the footage prompted calls for a swift police response. Members of the public have also welcomed the confirmation that those identified in connection with the incident had been taken into custody.
However, the suspects remain under investigation, and police have not yet provided further details about the circumstances of the assault or what charges, if any, will follow.
For now, the viral video has moved the case from social media outrage into a formal police investigation, with 12 teenagers in custody as authorities work to establish exactly what happened.