Ugandan prosecutors on Monday formally accused the leader of a notorious militia with charges of terrorism and murder in connection to the tragic deaths of two foreign tourists and their driver last month.
Earlier this month, Abdul Rashid Kyoto, also known as Njovu, a commander within the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia, was apprehended. He now faces charges related to his alleged leadership in a brutal school massacre that occurred in June.
Uganda has attributed the murders of honeymooning tourists and their local guide, along with a school attack resulting in the deaths of 42 individuals, predominantly students, to the ADF, an affiliate of the Islamic State group.
The director of public prosecutions announced on Monday that prosecutors have formally filed two charges of terrorism, three charges of murder, three charges of aggravated robbery, and one charge of belonging to a terrorist organization in relation to the tourist attack.
On October 17, a British citizen and a South African, along with their guide, were tragically killed in an attack while on safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The Islamic State group asserted responsibility, declaring that it was responsible for the deaths of “three Christian tourists.”
According to prosecutors, Njovu was apprehended on Lake Edward, situated on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, where two of his associates were fatally shot, while others successfully evaded capture by fleeing in a boat with their weapons.
Previously, the military had indicated that Njovu was the sole survivor of the operation.
The ADF stands as the most lethal among numerous armed groups afflicting the troubled eastern Congo, facing accusations of massacring thousands of civilians in the region and conducting cross-border attacks.
Following the October attack, President Yoweri Museveni urged the security forces to eliminate the ADF, and subsequently, the military has conducted several air strikes against the group’s positions in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The ADF has a historical background as a Ugandan rebel coalition, with its major faction consisting of Muslims who were opposed to President Museveni.
Britain has recommended its citizens to refrain from traveling to specific areas of Uganda, including Queen Elizabeth Park.