Congolese National Arrested With Firearm in Kisoro

KISORO – Police in Kisoro District have apprehended two individuals on charges of unlawful possession of firearms.

The detainees have been identified as Sadiki Gashendure, a 29-year-old Congolese national residing in Karambo village, Bunagana, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Silvani Uwirangiye, a 32-year-old resident of Gatete village in Rwaramba parish, Nyakinama sub-county, Kisoro district.

Elly Maate, the spokesperson for the Kigezi Region Police, reported that the arrests took place on the evening of August 12, 2023, around 7:00 PM, following an intelligence tip-off.

The information led security forces from the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces and the Police to intercept Sadiki Gashendure as he crossed the Bunyangaro-Nyabwishenya border from the Democratic Republic of Congo, carrying a cache of firearms.

Subsequent actions by the security team led to Gashendure’s capture near Stanbic Bank in Kisoro Township. During the arrest, he was found in possession of two hand grenades.

Upon further questioning, Gashendure disclosed the existence of an SMG rifle. He revealed that the firearm was entrusted to Silvani Uwiragiye, who was also taken into custody. The subsequent investigation led the authorities to recover the SMG rifle (Serial Number: 56×20019268) and a stash of 64 live ammunition rounds buried within a banana plantation near Uwiragiye’s residence in Gatete.

Maate underscored that both the confiscated weapons and the apprehended suspects remain under police custody as ongoing investigations seek to ascertain the origin of the firearms, the underlying motive, and any potential accomplices involved.

CUE IN MAATE….ON THE ARREST….RR/ENG//