UPDF Deserter Killed in Buddo shooting

The man who was killed on July 23, 2024, following a botched kidnap at Buddo junction, Kyengera town council in Wakiso district was an army deserter.

UPDF 1st division spokesperson Charles Kabona identified the deceased as Private Lawrence Ekirapa and said he had been declared Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) on May 17, 2024, and that the message had been sent to all army units.
“Therefore, he was no longer a serving soldier but a deserter during the time of his death,” Kabona said.

According to Kabona, AWOL occurs when a service member leaves the military without prior authorisation. This offence is not a light matter and is considered one of the most severe a person in the military can do.

In the ensuing incident, a stray bullet killed a female pedestrian and Uganda Revenue Authority employee Evelyn Zallia Nalumansi Kironde, a resident of the area.

A statement of double murder released by police on July 2024 indicated that “On July 23, 2024, at about 8:00pm, information was received from a boda boda rider whose names were not captured, that there was a shooting incident at Buddo junction and some people are feared dead.

Police said the area officers at Buddo Junior Police post responded to the scene and confirmed the incident.

“Actually two bodies were lying dead, one for a female adult lying on tarmac and the other male adult in motor vehicle UAK 375U.”

Police indicated that on July 23, at about 4:30pm, Brigadier Charles Asiimwe popularly known as CK, a UPDF attaché to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a resident of Seguku Kajjansi Town Council in Wakiso district sent his driver, a one RA 217785 Corporal Daniel Okiror and Ian his brother to Kasese on a yet to be known mission driving motor vehicle UBL 990X Mark X.

“The duo reached safely and on their way back, they picked a female relative to the Ambassador to Djibouti a one Richard Kalumina. When they reached around Mpigi, they were blocked by motor vehicle Reg. UAK 375U progress silver grey with four occupants dressed in military attire and armed with a pistol,” the statement said.

Police noted that the suspects ordered the occupants of the Mark X, to disembark from their motor vehicle UBL 990X and enter UAK 375U, that they had been sent to pick them.

“They accepted to enter, the car, knowing that, they were the same, may be could have committed a mistake, but they became suspicious when two remained in their vehicle and they were whisked away by officers they didn’t know. Along the way, Okiror was disarmed of his pistol No. UG 45306157 Jerrico, with 15 rounds of ammunition. Thereafter, the alleged kidnappers started communicating to someone that they had arrested these people and they were delivering them to the one who sent them.”

Police noted that Ian and Okiror realised that their lives were in danger, Ian asked to go for a short call and in the process managed to escape leaving Okiror in the vehicle of the assailants.

“Okiror started texting his boss Brig. CK Asiimwe that he had been abducted and gave all the details of the motor vehicle he was in. Brig. Asiimwe submitted the telephone number of his driver Okiror to CMI for location. Upon reaching Buddo junction, Okiror disarmed the assailants of his pistol and shot the driver dead and the core driver managed to escape,” Police noted.

The statement indicated that in the process, a stray bullet caught, Nalumanzi who also died on the spot.

The statement indicated that Okiror recorded statements and had been detained to aide in the investigations.

Police also said they had recorded statements from eyewitnesses.