A Uganda People’s Defense Force-UPDF soldier has been arrested for shooting a 30-year-old man to death in Luwero district.
The suspect has been identified as Private Emmanuel Kayomuntu attached at Bombo Military Barracks. He is accused of shooting to death Brian Buheyi, a resident of Butaleja district.
It is alleged that on Wednesday, Policemen from Zirobwe Police Station backed by soldiers were called by local leaders to disarm and arrest 28 youths who had been deployed to guard a disputed piece of land at Kituti village in Zirobwe town.
The 35-acre piece of land dispute is between Hasifah Nakungu and Siraje Ssenfuka among others.
As a result, Nakungu hired youths from Butaleja and other districts to fence off the land and guard it to deny access to Ssenfuka and others. The group was armed with sticks, arrows, and pangas.
According to Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson Sam Twineamazima, on reaching the land, the Policemen and soldiers ordered the group to surrender but Buheyi instead attacked and attempted to cut the soldier with a panga.
Twineamazima narrates that in defense, Kayomuntu shot Buheyi in the back and died shortly after. He adds that the dead body was transferred to Luwero Hospital for postmortem and the UPDF soldier was arrested to help in the investigations.
Twineamazima says the soldier and the gun were handed over to Bombo Military Barracks for further investigations.
During the operation, Police also arrested 23 youths who had been deployed on land and transferred to Luwero Central Police Station.
The UPDF is yet to comment on the arrest of its soldier.
Earlier on Police registered a case of fraudulent acquisition of land title and forgery of letters of administration on the disputed land.
Luwero is a hotbed for land wrangles. According to the Police Crime report, Luwero district registered 206 cases of malicious property damage and 125 cases of criminal trespass all related to land in 2023.
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