By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu,
Kisoro
Kisoro District Court has handed down a sentence of six years imprisonment to two suspects who were found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm. The case, CRB 555/2023, sparked by a tip-off received by the intelligence department, which led to the arrest of Sadiki Gashendure and Silvani Uwirangiye on 12th August 2023.
When Gashendure was arrested passing through the Bunyangaro Nyabwishenya Kisoro border from the DRC, he was found to be in possession of two hand grenades. Upon interrogation, he disclosed that he had an SMG rifle, which had been kept with Uwiragiye.
The two were subsequently arrested, leading the authorities to the recovery of the firearm, an SMG rifle numbered 56×20019268, along with 64 rounds of live ammunition, which was retrieved from a buried stash in a banana plantation near Uwiragiye’s residence in Gatete.
Appearing before Kisoro District Court on 15th September 2023, both accused persons pleaded guilty to the charges of illegal possession of firearms and sentenced them to six years imprisonment effective immediately.
Speaking after the verdict, the police spokesperson for Kigezi ASP Elly Maate called for harsher penalties for those who engage in illegal arms trading, highlighting the risks this poses to public safety. With the successful conclusion of this case, the authorities in Kisoro hope that it will send a message to others that such activities will not be tolerated.
