On July 28, shocked villagers unearthed human remains, which police at the time said included three children's skulls. / Photo: AFP

Ugandan police have arrested a man following the grisly discovery last month of 17 skulls in a shrine west of the capital Kampala, officials said on Tuesday.

On July 28, shocked villagers unearthed the remains, which police at the time said included three children's skulls, in an underground chamber in Mpigi town, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) west of Kampala.

"The police crime intelligence squad got a tip-off and they apprehended Lujja Bbosa Tabula on August 19," police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke told AFP on Tuesday, saying he was in custody.

"Tabula was wanted in connection with the human skulls that were found in his residence in Mpigi recently," he said.

Another murder case

Rusoke said Tabula will appear before court once investigations are concluded. He did not indicate a date for the court appearance.

It remains unclear how the skulls ended up at the site, located on a steep hill, buried within four metallic boxes inside a two metres (seven feet) deep underground chamber.

Local media reported residents as saying that people had previously gathered at the location to worship.

Tabula was also wanted by police in connection to a separate case involving the murder of a prominent traditional Baganda leader, entrepreneur Daniel Bbosa, and had been on the run prior to the discovery of the skulls.

The killing in Kampala was reportedly carried out by hired gunmen as Bbosa returned home from work in February this year.

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AFP