UPDF soldier shoots two people dead in Bunyangabu district

Bunyangabu, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Uganda People’s Defense Forces – UPDF is investigating circumstance under which one of their soldiers shot dead a woman and her child in Bunyangabu district.   

Paul Lotukei allegedly shot and killed Pamela Nayebare, 26, and her 9-month-old son Owen Kusemererwa on Friday at 8:40 pm at Nyakasiga trading Centre in Nyakigumba Town Council.   

According to Capt. George Musingunzi, the UPDF Mountain Division Spokesperson, Lotukei, who is attached to Bukara detach in Bunyangabu district, has already been arrested and is being detained at Mountain Division Headquarters at Muhoti barracks cells in Kabarole District.   

Eyewitnesses say that before Lotukei shot the two, he first disagreed with other soldiers accusing them of stealing his phone. Shaban Kagoro, one of the eyewitnesses says that the soldier was earlier on seen taking alcohol in bars around Nyakasiga trading centre.   

“So, after the disagreement, he went outside the bar where they were drinking from and returned with a gun. A scuffle ensued leading to the shooting,” he narrates.   

The Bunyangabu Resident District Commissioner Jane Asiimwe Muhindo, who heads the district security committee, describes the incident as unfortunate. Bodies of the deceased have been taken to Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital for Postmortem.

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