DEATH | POACHING | NATIONAL PARK

KIRYANDONGO - Three out of four people who had gone fishing inside Karuma Wildlife Reserve in Murchison Falls National Park have gone missing and it's alleged they were killed by game rangers.

The three, all residents of Gwara II cell in Karuma Town Council went missing on September 7, 2021, after they were allegedly attacked by game rangers.

The missing persons have been identified as Robert Jawibe, 32, Steven Ongewun, 42, and Geoffrey Ochaa, 43.

Michael Otto, who survived with a bullet injury on the leg and came to tell the story said the rangers shot dead his three colleagues with whom they had gone fishing in Victoria Nile.

The incident has raised concern among the community of Karuma Town Council who are saying that when the wild animals stray into community land, they don’t harm but call the rangers to drive them back into the park.

Washington Ochaya, councillor LCV representing Karuma town council said what has happened may spoil the good relationship between the community living around the park line and the park authorities.

“This is not the first time that our people have gone missing in the park, we have had several incidences where our unarmed people are killed in the park,” Ochaya said.

He said those who stray in the park should be arrested and prosecuted instead of killing them.

Ochaya said the case is reported at Karuma police station under reference number SD 10/16/09/2021.

He said he has contacted James Peter Ewau, the warden in charge of Karuma Wildlife Reserve who told him to contact their headquarters at Paraa to give authority to go and retrieve the bodies.

John Manano, a relative of the person who survived said he narrated how game rangers shot dead the three colleagues and how he survived and was helped by some people.

He said a bullet is still lodged in the leg of the victim.  

When contacted over the matter, the Uganda Wildlife Authority senior warden community conservation attached to Murchison Falls National Park said they have not got any information from the police over the incident.

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Kiryandongo district, Peter Paul Debele, said he has written a letter to Conservation Area Manager, Murchison Falls National Park requesting them to release the bodies for a decent burial.

A source said the RDC held a close-door meeting with UWA officials in his office and he condemned them for the arbitrary shooting of unarmed people who stray in the park.