Security arrest 80 illegal immigrants

KAMPALA- The police and army have arrested at least 80 suspected Rwandan and Congolese illegal immigrants during an operation along the Ugandan border with the two countries.

The cordon-and-search operation at Bunagana border town on Friday and Saturday was led by Kigezi Regional Police Commander Mr Denis Namuwoza and the officer in charge of Kisoro District Police Station, Mr Hassan Ssekalema. Mr Namuwoza said the suspects had no immigration documents.

“There have been several crimes such as armed robberies and murders along the border. Our suspicion is that the guns used are from across the border or within. That is why we carried out the cordon-and-search operation. We arrested 160 people, but the screening is still ongoing,” Mr Namuwoza said yesterday.

After the screening, the Ugandan security detained 80suspects. It is not yet clear whether the operation is part of the Uganda efforts to get rid of a terror cell composing Rwandans that is alleged to be operating in Uganda.

Since August, Uganda has increased operations targeting illegal immigrants and suspected criminals from Rwanda.

Last month, Rwanda sent a diplomatic note to Uganda protesting the manner in which her citizens are arrested and detained in Uganda. Uganda has not yet responded.

The Defence and Army spokesman, Brig Richard Karemire, confirmed that Rwanda had sent a protest note.

“It has formally been brought to the attention of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Brig Karemire told NTV Uganda on December 8.
Mr Namuwoza said the 80 suspects would be charged with illegal entry into the country.

Gun recovered
“We recovered a gun and documents of M-23 rebel group operating in DRC from a woman’s house during a search. The woman said the gun was for her late husband who died in 1999. But the gun is well serviced and has bullets manufactured in 2017. She also had documents of a revolver pistol,” he said.

Police detained the entire family as they hunt the person who has been using the firearms.
Mr Namuwoza said the operation will continue until it is deemed criminals have ceased their presence in the area or their capacity to commit crime has been crippled on both sides of the border.

He said foreigners along the Uganda-DRC border, who registered as refugees must keep within their camps.

Last week, Uganda charged 45 Rwandans on three counts of terrorism in court in Mbarara District.

Remanded
At least 43 of the 45 Rwandans were arrested on Tanzania-Uganda border on allegations that they were in the country on forged identities and were remanded.

In the same week, Uganda deported five Rwandans who had been in detention for several weeks.
One Rwandan, Rene Rutangugira, Bahati Mugenga, a Congolese, and seven Ugandan police officers are facing charges of kidnap of Lt Joel Mutabazi, a former bodyguard to Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and Jackson Kaleemera on October 25, 2013 at Kamengo in Uganda’s central district of Mpigi.

Lt Mutabazi was illegally extradited to Rwanda where he was sentenced to life imprisonment on treason and terrorism-related charges.
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