Policeman killed, another injured in Kasese attack

By Wilson Asiimwe

KASESE - A group of unknown people attacked policemen guarding a weigh bridge along the Kasese-Mbarara highway, killing one and injuring another before taking off with their guns on Saturday.

The attackers, eye witnesses said, numbered about 30 and were all wearing casual clothes.

Security organs has since deployed heavily in the neighboring Queen Elizabeth national park.

Rwenzori region police spokesperson Bakari Mugha identified the dead policeman as Jacob Muhindo and the injured as Amos Tumuhimbise.

He said that so far three people have been arrested in connection to the incident and are being detained Kasese central police station.

"Unknown people attacked the police officers who were guarding the weigh bridge near the Kasese cobalt company along the Kasese-Mbarara highway and disarmed them before killing one and injuring another. So far we have arrested three suspects,” said Bakari.

He said police and the army have beefed up the security in Kasese municipality to ensure that they arrest the people who were involved in the act.

The deputy Resident District Commissioner for Kasese district, Aminadabu Muhindo, condemned the attack on the policemen and warned that security agencies would not tolerate what he termed as "hooliganism by thugs".

The attack came at the time when the Banyabindi, a minority ethnic group in Kasese district, were mourning the death of their colleagues who lost their lives during the Rwenzururu uprising in the 1980s, a move that had been opposed by the majority Bakonjo.