Police in Rubanda District have confirmed the deaths of two individuals who suffocated after illegally entering the closed Nyamuriro Wolfram Mining site in Muko Sub-county, Rubanda West County.
According to authorities, the incident occurred during the night of June 3, 2025, and into the early morning hours. Three individuals reportedly entered the decommissioned site to conduct illegal sand mining.
However, the group was trapped when the sand collapsed inside the mining hole. Two of them died instantly, while the third, whose identity remains unknown, escaped the scene and is currently at large.
The deceased have been identified as Acleo Bushato, 27, and another man known only as Muhumuza. Both were residents of Kalere Trading Centre, Kara Parish in Muko Sub-county.
At approximately 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, authorities at the Nyamuriro Mineral Police Post reported the incident. Upon receiving the alert, Rubanda District Police Commander (DPC) Abel Barugahare dispatched a team to the site.
The officers found that the two bodies had already been recovered by the time they arrived. They were met at the scene by the two stationed police guards and Onesmus, the former chairperson of KI3R Mining Company Limited.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson, said that DPC Barugahare, together with the Officer-in-Charge of Criminal Investigations (OC CID) and other officers, later conducted community policing in Kalere Trading Centre.
They cautioned residents against engaging in illegal mining activities, emphasizing the dangers involved.
Police investigations into the incident are ongoing, and efforts are being made to identify and apprehend the third individual who fled the scene.
