A suspected commander within an infamous Islamist militant faction faced court proceedings in Uganda, charged with terrorism and murder relating to the tragic deaths of two foreign tourists and a local driver.
Abdul Rashid Kyoto, also known as Njovu or Tembo, appeared in a heavily guarded Kampala magistrate’s court. The court ordered the 31-year-old Ugandan national to be remanded in the country’s highest security prison until December 19.
Kyoto, purportedly leading a faction of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia based in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, stands accused of orchestrating the killings of the tourists during their honeymoon last month.
State prosecutor Mariam Kuluthum sought an adjournment, citing ongoing police investigations and the need for the suspect to face trial in the high court.
Presenting himself in court on crutches due to injuries sustained during a recent military operation that led to his arrest, Kyoto faces allegations in connection to the October 17 murders of a British national, his South African wife, and their Ugandan guide while on safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda’s western region.
Despite the Islamic State group claiming responsibility, citing the killing of “three Christian tourists,” Ugandan authorities attribute the attacks to the ADF, a militant faction aligned with the Islamic State.
This faction has been held accountable for various assaults on Ugandan soil, including the recent tourist killings and a tragic school massacre near the DRC border, resulting in the loss of 42 lives, primarily students.
The ADF, known as the deadliest among numerous armed groups operating in conflict-ridden eastern DRC, is accused of atrocities against civilians in that region and cross-border incursions.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has urged security forces to eradicate the ADF. Consequently, the military has conducted airstrikes targeting ADF positions in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The ADF’s origins trace back to a coalition of Ugandan rebels historically comprised of Muslims in opposition to President Museveni’s governance, who has maintained an authoritative rule over Uganda since 1986.
