By Ivan Mwine
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is reeling with shock after a soldier attached to the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) shot three of his colleagues dead on Monday morning.
Sources in Mogadishu reveal that ghastly incident happened after a soldier attached to the 23rd Battallion, who had been deployed to guard at Aden Adde International Airport, ran amok and suddenly opened fire at fellow soldiers.
“When his colleagues heard the bullets, they thought the enemy had attacked. Whoever tried to intervene was shot down,” a source who preferred anonymity because they are not the official UPDF spokesperson, said.
The source added that the first victim was shot in the chest, while the second one who tried to peep to observe what had happened was shot three times in the head by the rampaging soldier.
According to the source, the third soldier was shot in the back as he tried to run away from his colleague who had become murderous.
“After the three shootings, the entire camp now alert and a brave officer tip toed and disarmed the shooter who didn’t resist,” the source revealed, adding that; “The suspect requested his fellow soldiers to finish him off after realizing he was guilty of what he had earlier done.”
However, instead of executing him, his colleagues handed over the trigger-happy soldier to authorities for proper management.
He is to be arraigned in the Court Martial for trial once investigations are completed according to the spokesperson of the UPDF contingent in Somalia, Capt. George William Musinguzi, who identified the murderous soldier as Corporal Simon Agaba, who is attached to Base camp in Mogadishu.
“This morning, at around 0600Hrs, RA/170986 Cpl Agaba Simon attached to Base camp Mogadishu in Somalia randomly shot and killed three of his colleagues,” Capt. Musinguzi said in a statement.
He identified the deceased as Lance Corporal Christopher Kigongo, Lance Corporal Lord Charles Mangwi and Private Charles Akatwongyera.
“Investigations have commenced to establish the true cause of his actions but we suspect the soldier has been struggling with stress disorders. We commiserate with the families of the deceased,” Musinguzi added.
By press time however, the UPDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Felix Kulaigye had not yet issued a statement about the incident, although details about this developing story shall come your way in our subsequent reports.
