Police in Rwenzori East, on December 17, 2023, confirmed the recovery of a man’s body from the Kibale National Park jungle. The victim, Aston Agaba, 28, from Nkoko village, Kitswamba sub-county, was abducted on December 5, 2023, following a fatal attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels on a Kasese district village.
The announcement came during the thanksgiving function of Rev. Can. Abiah Were at St. Peters Hima Parish in Hima town council, Kasese district. ASP Solomon Mugisa, the community Liaisons officer of Hima division, shared that Agaba’s body was found and subsequently handed over to the family for burial after a postmortem. Earlier, the police had neutralized two suspected rebels and injured one.
Mugisa, calling for continued vigilance, urged health units to report wounded individuals and requested bar owners to register clients using national identity cards and letters from their LC1s. He warned that ADF rebels in Kibale National Park often buy food, particularly chapatis, in bulk from communities. Chapati dealers were advised to promptly inform security if approached for bulk purchases.
In response, Kitswamba sub-county LC3 chairperson Yofesi Katonene stated that security operations by the army in the park and community had normalized the situation. Hima Town council LC3 chairperson Hilda Maate commended the security forces for their role in maintaining security.
Aston Agaba, the second victim of the attack, was buried in Kamwenge district on Monday, following the previous loss of Betty Biira.
