Police rescue pastor, suspected kidnappers shot dead

Gomba, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Flying Squad operatives have shot dead three suspected masterminds behind the kidnap of Pastor Mary Byarisya from Gomba district a week ago. Only one of the suspects has been identified, as Andrew Behakanira also known as Bashiru.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson says that the suspects kidnapped Pastor Barishya from her Canaan Ministries church in Kaganga on February 6th, 2023 and they kept moving her around Masaka, Sembabule, Mbarara, and Bushenyi districts to evade arrest. They demanded a ransom of Shillings 30 million to release their victim or else they end her life.

He however says that officers from the Uganda Police Force and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence swung into action and started tracking the suspects after obtaining intelligence. According to Kasasira, the officers intercepted the Premio vehicle registration number UAZ 935N that the suspects were using at Rubindi-Ruhumba town council in Mbarara on Monday evening as it was heading to Ibanda district.

He says that the kidnappers attempted to resist arrest by trying to run over the police officers and grabbing their guns prompting them to open fire killing the suspects instantly. The officers managed to rescue the Pastor and recovered a phone the suspects were using to call her relatives for the ransom.

The pastor was taken to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for medical examination. The bodies are also lying in the same facility pending positive identification. A relative of the pastor told URN on the condition of anonymity that she has some torture marks on her body but is responding to treatment.

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URN