KISORO – Two suspects found guilty of illegal firearm possession have been handed down a 6-year prison sentence by the Kisoro district court.
The convicted individuals, A1 Uwiragiye Silvan (32), a resident of Gatete Village, Rwaramba Parish in Nyakinama Sub County, and A2 Gashendure Bizi Sadik (29), a Congolese M23 soldier residing in Karambo Village, Bunagana, Democratic Republic of Congo, appeared in Kisoro district Court today.
Both pleaded guilty to the charges and were subsequently sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police spokesperson, reported that the arrests occurred on August 12, 2023, at approximately 8:00 PM following an intelligence tip-off.
Sadiki Gashendure was apprehended as he crossed the Bunyangaro Nyabwishenya Kisoro border from the DRC in possession of firearms. Upon his arrest, he was found with two hand grenades.
During interrogation, Sadiki Gashendure disclosed the location of an SMG rifle, which was in the custody of Silvan Uwiragiye.
Uwiragiye was subsequently arrested, and they led authorities to recover the SMG rifle (Serial number: 56×20019268) along with 64 rounds of live ammunition, which had been concealed in a banana plantation near Uwiragiye’s home in Gatete.
