A 29-year-old March 23 Movement (M23) rebel operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and another Ugandan national were sentenced on Friday to six years in prison by the Kisoro Chief Magistrates over illegal possession of a firearm.
The court that was presided over by Kisoro Chief Magistrate Kenneth Komakech heard from the prosecution that Uwiragiye Silvan, 32, a resident of Gatete Village, Rwaramba Parish in Nyakinama Sub County, and Gashendure Bizi Sadik (29), a Congolese M23 soldier residing in Karambo Village, Bunagana, Democratic Republic of Congo, on August 12, 2023, while at Bunyangaro Nyabwishenya, crossed the border from the DRC in possession of firearms.
The court was further told that Gashendure Bizi Sadik was found with two hand grenades upon his arrest and that during interrogation, Sadiki Gashendure disclosed the location of an SMG rifle, which was in the custody of Silvan Uwiragiye, who was subsequently arrested, and they led authorities to recover the SMG rifle (Serial number: 5620019268) along with 64 rounds of live ammunition, which had been concealed in a banana plantation near Uwiragiye’s home in Gatete.
When the charges were read to them, they all pleaded guilty.
His Worship Komakech then said that the two convicts had not wasted the court’s time, so he sentenced them to six years in prison and also ordered that Sadiki Gashendure be deported after serving his sentence.