In 1979 during the Uganda–Tanzania War a combined force of Tanzanian troops and Ugandan rebels invaded Uganda and approached the capital, Kampala. Amin fled the city and left Sabuni in charge of its defence. Kampala ultimately fell, and Sabuni fled to Kenya. The circumstances of his flight are disputed. According to his own testimony, he fled Kampala on 8 April 1979, and went to Mbale from where he and his family traveled to the border, crossing it on 10 April. Eyewitnesses claimed to have seen him in Mbale as late as 11 April, however, where he, Idi Amin, and other high-ranking officials allegedly plundered the African Textile Mills. Furthermore, Sabuni claimed that he stayed at Molo after his escape until being detained by Kenyan agents and sent to Kakamega, whereas diplomat Madanjeet Singh stated that Sabuni was staying in Nairobi after fleeing Uganda. He was arrested by local authorities in May after being indicted by the Kampala chief magistrate for murder and extradited back to Uganda on 16 June.