EDITOR
The territorial police in Rubanda District have confirmed the tragic death of two individuals who were buried by a sand collapse while allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities at the Nyamuriro Wolfram mining site in the early hours of Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
According to reports, three men had sneaked into the site during the night to carry out unauthorized sand mining operations. Unfortunately, a section of the sand caved in, trapping them inside. Two of the men died instantly, while a third, whose identity has not yet been confirmed, managed to escape and is still at large.
The deceased have been identified as Acleo Bushato, a 27-year-old resident of Kalere Trading Centre in Kara Parish, Muko Sub-county, and Muhumuza, also a resident of the same area.
The officer in charge of the Nyamuriro Mineral Police Post reported the incident at around 5:00 am. The District Police Commander (DPC) of Rubanda promptly dispatched a team to the scene, where they found that the bodies had already been recovered. The police team was accompanied by Mr. Onesmus, the former chairperson of KI3R Mining Company Limited, and two police guards who had been present at the site.
Following the recovery operation, the DPC, the Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigations Department (OC CID), and other officers proceeded to Kalere Trading Centre to conduct a community policing session. The team sensitized residents about the dangers and legal consequences of engaging in unauthorized mining activities.
Police investigations into the incident are currently ongoing.
The Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson, ASP Maate Elly, urged the public to refrain from illegal mining and to cooperate with authorities to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
