GOMBA, UGANDA: Flying squad operatives have shot dead three suspected masterminds behind the kidnap of pastor Mary Byarisya from Gomba district a week ago.
Only one of the suspects has been identified as Andrew Behakanira aka Bashiru.
Mr Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Region police spokesperson says that the suspects allegedly kidnapped pastor Barishya from her Canaan Ministries church in Kaganga on February 6 and they kept moving her around Masaka, Sembabule, Mbarara, and Bushenyi districts to evade arrest.
They demanded a ransom of Shs 30 million to release their victim else they end her life. Kasasira however, says that officers from police and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) swung into action and started tracking the suspects after obtaining intelligence.
According to Kasasira, the officers intercepted a Premio vehicle, registration number, UAZ 935N that the suspects were using at Rubindi-Ruhumba town council in Mbarara on Monday evening as it was heading to Ibanda district.
He claims that the kidnappers attempted to resist arrest by trying to run over the police officers and grabbing their guns – prompting them to open fire and killing them instantly. The officers managed to rescue the pastor and recovered a phone the suspects were using to call her relatives for the ransom.
The pastor was taken to Mbarara Regional Referral hospital for a medical examination. The bodies are also lying in the same facility pending positive identification.
A relative of the pastor told URN on the condition of anonymity that she has some torture marks on her body but is responding well to treatment.
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