Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has reportedly tasked the army spy and investigations agency to investigate the Tuesday gold shooting incident at Buddo junction which left two people dead.
Museveni, according to sources has directed Defence and Intelligence Security (DIS) formerly Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI) to conduct parallel investigation after being informed that the shooting involved 4.5kg of gold worth over 13 billion shillings.
The shooting caused the death of a Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officer, Evelyn Nalumansi, who was accidentally shot to death by a stray bullet while a Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldier Pte Lawrence Ekirap, whom the forces claim had already deserted, died inside the car.
Aged 49, Nalumansi was buying food for her family at the nearby stall where the bullets that emerged from a Toyota Progress UAK 375U caught her in the chest killing her on spot. Pte Ekirap was shot to death inside the vehicle.
Maj Charles Kabona, the First Division Spokesperson said that Pte Ekirap was declared Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) on 17th May 24 and the message was sent to all army units and he has been elusive. “Therefore he was no longer a serving soldier but a deserter during the time of his death,” Maj Kabona said.
However, the gold has since caused speculation that it had been smuggled from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where UPDF has been fighting Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) alongside Congolese military since November 2021 fighting.
The gold scandal comes a month after UN probe indicted Ugandan military personnel particularly CMI of supporting M23 rebels and because this could cement the accusations, it is said that Museveni has decided to have an independent probe.
UPDF Deputy Spokesperson, Col Deo Akiiki, when was asked by URN why DIS was conducting a probe into the Buddo incident instead letting everything be handled by the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID), he said: “It is joint investigations.”
A report compiled by Nsangi policing division under reference Nsangi CRB: 634/2024 shows that Brig Gen CK Asiimwe an attachee to DRC and a resident of Seguku, Kajjansi Town Council, in Wakiso District sent his driver RA217785 Cpl Daniel Okiror and a one Ian his brother to Kasese on ‘a yet to be known mission’ driving motor vehicle UBL 990X Mark X.
Nsangi detectives add that the duo reached safely and on their way back, they picked a female relative to the Ambassador to Djibuti one Kalumina Richard. “When they reached around Mpigi, they were blocked by motor vehicle Reg. UAK 375U progress silver grey in colour with four occupants dressed in military attire and armed with a pistol. These ordered them, to disembark from their motor vehicle UBL 990X to UAK 375U, that they had been sent to pick them,” Nsangi police states in the report.
CPL Okiror, and Ian reportedly accepted to enter UAK 375U Toyota Progress reportedly knowing that it was the same group.
However, CPL Okiror and Ian reportedly became suspicious when two remained in their vehicle and for them, were whisked away by officers they didn’t know.
“Along the way, CPL Okiror Daniel was disarmed of his pistol No. UG 45306157 JERRICO with 15 rounds of ammunitions. Thereafter, the alleged kidnappers started communicating to someone that they had arrested Okiror and Ian and were delivering them to the person who sent them,” Nsangi police adds.
It is alleged that Ian and CPL Okiror realized that their lives were in danger and Ian asked to go for short call and in the process managed to escape leaving Okiror in the vehicle of the assailants.
Cpl Okiror reportedly started texting his boss Brig Gen CK Asiimwe that he had been abducted and giving all the details of the motor vehicle he was in.
“Brig CK Asiimwe submitted the telephone number of his driver CPL Okiror to CMI for location. Upon reaching Buddo junction, CPL Okiror disarmed the assailants of his pistol and shot the driver dead and the co- driver escaped” Nsangi police report further reads.
It is also reported that CPL Okiror who had been arrested by police has since been taken by the Army including the UG UPDF 45306157 JERRICO with two rounds of ammunition.
Some sources have cast doubt of arriving at a conclusive probe since there several high ranking persons involved.
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