Mourners kill soldier in fight over alcohol
BUDUDA. Angry mourners in Bududa District descended on a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier and allegedly ended his life following a fight over a sachet of waragi.
According to witnesses, the soldier identified as Private Fred Kimanai, 32, attached to 3rd Division in Moroto, was stabbed by angry mourners in Bumagoi Village, Bushinyekwa Parish, Bududa Sub-county in Bududa District at the weekend in a revenge attack during the late John Wambedde Wamuwaya’s vigil.
The soldier, a resident of the same area, had just returned from a peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
It is alleged that trouble started after the soldier reportedly got a knife and stabbed one of the residents identified as Ivan Makuma Wamalile, a scrap dealer, in the stomach after they developed a misunderstanding over waragi.
Makuma died as he was being taken to hospital.
The angry mourners retaliated by lynching the soldier.
The Mt Elgon regional police spokesperson, Mr Robert Tukei, confirmed both murders and said police have started investigations.
“We lost two people during the incident, one UPDF soldier and a civilian. We are investigating both cases,” he said, adding that the two murder cases were reported at Bududa Central Police Station.
Mr Tukei warned against mob action and said the locals who will be found to have participated in the murders would be arrested.
“The culprits will be arrested and charged with murder,” Mr Tukei said.
He, however, said preliminary reports indicate that the deceased had disagreement over alcohol.
Mr Tukei added that the two bodies have been taken to Bududa District hospital for post-mortem.
The 3rd Division UPDF spokesperson, Capt Abert Arinaitwe, also confirmed the death of the soldier.
“We lost one of our own but we have sent a team to carry out investigations in the matter. A course of action will be taken basing on the report of inquiry,” Capt Arinaitwe said.
Past incident
Last year, a game ranger attached to Mt Elgon National Park was lynched in Bududa District after one of his colleagues shot dead one of the residents at Bufuma Trading Centre in Bunayoka Sub-county.
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