A man suspected to be a commander of the rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) has confessed to commanding the killing of two tourists and their guide in October 2023.

The accused, identified as Abdul Rashid Kyoto, also known as Njovu or Tembo, has been committed to the High Court for trial following the completion of investigations into the accusations against him.

Kyoto appeared before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s court, presided over by Mr. Erias Kakooza, on Monday. He faced charges related to the killing of David James Barlow, his wife Ceyer Emmarentia Cecilia, and their tour guide, Eric Alyai, on October 17, 2023.

According to the state, after Kyoto’s arrest, he received medical attention for his injury, and during his interview with investigators, he disclosed his involvement with the ADF terrorist organization.

“He provided a thorough confession of his engagement in the crimes, which involved being a member of the ADF terrorist organization. He admitted to travelling to DRC in 2018 for ADF military/terrorist training and participating in several ADF combat operations against civilians in both Uganda and the DRC. Additionally, he confessed to commanding the group responsible for the attack and murder of Barlow, Geyer, and Alyai,” the court documents read in part.

According to the indictment, Kyoto further disclosed that their group had planned to burn down a fuel station in Bwera, Kasese District to cause a big impact but they entered into a UPDF ambush forcing the group to split into two to avoid detection with one group being led by a one Kamusi who later attacked Lhubiriha secondary school and a lorry which was transporting onions.

“He further disclosed that he was in constant communication with Kamusi’s group on the phone from his base when the two attacks were carried out. The groups later coordinated and re-grouped and proceeded to Queen Elizabeth National Park where he later commanded the attack on tourists,” reads the court records.

It is alleged that on October 16, 2023, the couple arrived in Uganda from South Africa aboard Uganda Airlines and proceeded to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the Kasese District on October 17 whereupon they checked into Mweya Safari Lodge.

The state contends that on the same day in the afternoon, the couple went for a game drive in a Toyota Land Cruiser tourist vehicle driven by Alyai, a tour guide/driver of Gorillas and Wildlife Tours Safaris Ltd. However the three later that evening fell into an ambush laid by a group of ADF terrorists under the command of Kyoto at Nyamunuka, along the Katunguru-Katwe-Kabatoro road within Queen Elizabeth National Park and were shot dead and their vehicle set ablaze.

The state further contends that the first responder at the scene had mistaken it for an accident and notified police at Katwe Police Station who went to the scene and established that the deceased persons had been murdered in cold blood and their motor vehicle deliberately set ablaze.

At the arrest, Kyoto was found with different items which included; an unspecified amount of money, bank cards, airways American Express cards, a Ugandan National Identity Card, an employment card, driving permit belonging to the deceased Geyer and Alyai respectively.

Among the documents and physical exhibits the prosecution intends to rely on include; post-mortem reports, photographs, bullet head and cartridges, crime scene investigation reports, sketch maps, charge and caution statements, call data printouts, DNA reports and other forensic reports.

Credit: Daily Monitor