39 RWANDAN, CONGOLESE NATIONALS REMANDED TO PRISON IN UGANDA

Kampala, UGANDA

Thirty nine Rwandan and Congolese nationals have appeared before Kisoro magistrate’s court in western Uganda for illegal entry into Uganda.

The suspects after their arrest on November 25, 2019  

The suspects who include 35 Rwandan nationals and four Congolese, were arrested in a joint security operation involving the army and Police in Kisoro municipality in the areas of Russia, MuLine and Karumena in the wee hours of Monday morning. More than 200 people were picked up.

However, most of the suspects were released during the screening exercise leaving 39. Some of them didn’t have identification documents.

On Tuesday afternoon, the suspects appeared before Kisoro Grade One Magistrate, Raphael Vueni under tight security where they were charged with illegal entry.

Three Rwandan suspects and a Congolese pleaded not guilty to the charges. The other 35 pleaded guilty to the charges and asked for pardon.

Vueni remanded the three Rwandan nationals and Congolese to Kisoro Government Prison until December 18, 2019.

He also remanded the remaining suspects to prison until tomorrow when they will appear for judgment.

Both Elly Maate, Kigezi region Police Spokesman and Eddie Sserunjojji, Kigezi Region Police Commander declined to comment on the matter.

Captain Peter Mugisha, the Kisoro Resident District Commissioner (RDC), said the operation is aimed at reducing rampant cases of murder, rape, robbery and theft among others in Kisoro District.

According to Mugisha, residents had resorted to mob justice while accusing security of not helping them to identify suspected criminals.

“The residents of Kisoro are angry and always complaining about criminal activities in the district. When they complain, our duty is to protect their lives and properties. Therefore, these kind of operations will not stop because everyone is supposed to have identification documents, especially a national ID indicating where they come from. There have been several robbery, murder and rape case in the district. We cannot just sit and watch as these happen,” Mr Mugisha said.