Police: Ugandan Activist Killed by Lover

Ugandan police said Thursday that prominent gay rights activist David Kato was killed by a sex partner, but gay rights activists question the police’s conclusion. Kato was beaten to death with a hammer last week and died on his way to the hospital. His death came only days after Ugandan officials proposed making homosexuality a crime punishable by death, and Uganda has long been notorious for its mistreatment of gays and lesbians. Police said a “well-known” thief confessed to the killing, saying he had negotiated a fee to have sex with Kato, and was angry when the victim did not pay up. Gay rights activists called for more proof of this motive—especially since Kato’s picture had run in a newspaper with the headline “Hang Them.”