KAMPALA – A Ugandan, who was last Wednesday kidnapped by armed Congolese militia, was on Saturday night released after his relatives paid a ransom of Shs2.5m.
Mr Elly Barugaba was in the company of two colleagues at the time he was kidnapped by six armed men around 11 pm at Nyamitembe cell, Buganza Parish Binza Sub County, Rushuro district of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The police spokesman for Kigezi sub-region, Mr Elly Maate, said that Naris Twinomuhangi and Frank Kanyani ran away when they are were intercepted by the militiamen. The relatives paid ransom money by mobile money transfer. Mr Barugaba was released around 10 pm.
Two Uganda school children were last month kidnapped in the same Binza sub-county of the Democratic Republic of Congo released after the parents paid a ransom of Shs2 million.
Early this year, gunmen kidnapped an American and Ugandan tourist from Queen Elizabeth National Park. They demanded for $500,000 (UGX1.9b) as ransom. The duo was freed after ransom was paid.
The district vice-chairman, Mr Gad Byomuhangi, attributed the increased cases of kidnaps in his district to laxity insecurity in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He said that some Ugandans could be behind the increased cases of kidnaps for a ransom because they easily cross into the Democratic Republic of Congo where nobody questions them.
“There is need for a security meeting with all the community members along the Ugandan border with the Democratic Republic of Congo because it is as if some Ugandans are behind the numerous kidnaps. How come a Congolese national to know that a Ugandan has sold his two cows before demanding for a ransom from him? This means that some Ugandans either directly involved or acting indirectly as agents of the Congolese militiamen” Mr Byomuhangi said.
