UPDF releases five suspects accused of aiding kidnap on Lake Edward

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Five suspects who were arrested by Uganda People Defense Forces-UPDF in Rukungiri district for aiding the kidnap of 10 Ugandan fishermen have finally been released. The suspects are Patrick Mugisha, the LC 2 chairperson Rweshama parish in Bwambara sub-county, Kenneth Niwagaba, Ismail Ngabirano, Hamad Barijuka and Charles Frank Majuta.

The suspects were arrested by soldiers attached to Rweshama landing site on Lake Edward in Bwambara sub-county in August last year on allegations of aiding Congolese security operatives to kidnap 10 Uganda fishermen. The kidnapped fishermen included, David Mucunguzi, Innocent Twinomujuni, Shabul  Nabasa, Jackson Tumuhamye, Benjamin Tusasibwe, Nicholas Sunday, Kenneth Kabasharira, Nicholas Tumwesigye, Patrick Bwiho and Jackson Musinguzi.

Tusasibwe and Kabasharira alias Kamunyamure died in December last year as a result of hunger and torture inflicted on them by their captors while in a government prison in Rutshuru in the Democratic Republic of Congo according to Bwiho, one of the survivors.

The arrest of the suspects sparked anger from their relatives and fishermen accusing security of declining to reveal where they were being detained. They also accused security of infringing on their right to justice by failing to produce them in court for prosecution.

Henry Chance, the vice-chairperson of Rweshama Fishmongers Association told our reporter on Monday night that the suspects returned to their homes early on Monday. Chance says that as fishermen, they were very happy to see their colleagues who have spent several months in prison return to their homes.  He says the suspects say they were released without any charges.

He however says the suspects haven’t revealed where they were locked up for all these months and how they were treated. Favorite Rugumayo, the spokesperson of the UPDF Marine Brigade confirmed to URN the release of the five suspects, saying they regained their freedom on Saturday evening. He however failed to explain why they were never produced in court.

Our reporter was unable to speak to the suspects since all their known contacts are switched off.

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