Rwanda hands over body of Ugandan businessman shot dead for allegedly smuggling waragi
The body of a Ugandan businessman identified as Justus Kabagambe who was shot dead in Rwanda has been handed over to the Ugandan authorities at Katuna border for a decent burial, the spokesperson Criminal Investigations Department(CID) Charles Twine has confirmed.
Kabagambe, 25-year-old a resident of Rutare village, Butanda sub county in Kabale district was last week shot dead by the Rwandan security operatives accusing him of smuggling crude waragi and some cosmetics into their country.
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Kabagambe becomes the sixth Ugandan national to be killed in Rwanda ever since Rwandan authorities closed cross-border trade with Uganda in March 2019.
The Rwandan authorities have always claimed that the shot Ugandans are those who resist arrest and try to fight their security operatives after being intercepted over illegal entry.
Twine expressed his dismay about the way the matter was handled by the Rwandan authorities questioning whether it was necessary to use firearms in this case.
"Was the proportionality, and necessity for use of a firearm put into consideration?" he queried.
Rwanda and Uganda remain at loggerheads after almost three years of strained relations despite diplomatic efforts to resolve the outstanding issues.
The tension between the two countries took an abrupt turn in February 2019 when Rwanda blocked the movement of cargo from Uganda and barred her nationals from crossing over to the north.
