Police stuck with 6 unclaimed, unidentified bodies of Kasese school attack

Police are stuck with six unidentified bodies of the Lhubiriha secondary school attack. Attackers linked to Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels raided the school located at Mpondwe town, in Kasese district on the night of June 16, causing the death of 43 people. 

Forensic experts from the police force in collaboration with the army have since conducted DNA analysis on 17 bodies that were burnt beyond recognition to match them with relatives.

Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson said only 11 students’ bodies have been successfully identified through DNA examination. He added that the relatives of the other six bodies have not yet shown up to give their blood samples for DNA matching.

Police have urged people in Kasese and neighbouring areas whose relatives are missing to show up at Bwera police station so that blood samples can be taken starting Tuesday where they will receive their children’s bodies.

“We would like to inform the public that out of the 17 samples, we have matched 11 burnt students. Six of the burnt students are still pending. We would like to inform the matched persons to link up with our forensic people on Tuesday tomorrow so that the bodies can be handed to them,” Enanga said.

Bodies that have been matched by police and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) forensic experts are: Amos Tumuhamye Amos matched with Rosette Komuhangi, Brian Muhindo matched with Sylvia Biira, Mumbere Samuel matched with Yassin Baluku, Charles Muhindo matched with Grace Kahindo, and Morius Kule matched with Rosemary Biira.

Other bodies matched with relatives are Joash Maseraka matched with Rebecca Muhindo, Fazia Masereka matched with Nyesh Kyakimwa, Joab Byamukama matched with Wilson Mbabazi, and Christine Tumuhaise, Onesimus Bwambare matched with Jane Itungo, Isaac Muhindo matched with Kule Ngidona while Felix Mumbere has been matched with Regina Kabugho.

Security said the burial arrangements of the identified bodies will be done in collaboration with the ministry of Education and Sports.

There have been eports that some of the victims of the attack had been ferried from another school by the school directors ahead of donor audit visits. It is not yet clear whether the bodies of students whose relatives haven’t shown up are among those who had been ferried from another school.