Police Say 11 Students’ Bodies Have Been Successfully Identified After Lhubiriha School Attack

Six unidentified bodies from the attack on the Lhubiriha secondary school still remain with the police. On the night of June 16, raiders with ties to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels attacked the school in Mpondwe town, Kasese district, killing 43 people.

Since then, 17 completely burned- bodies have undergone DNA examination by forensic experts from the police and army to be matched with family. Only 11 pupils’ remains have been successfully identified through DNA testing, according to police spokesperson Fred Enanga. In order to provide blood samples for DNA matching, the kin of the other six bodies have not yet arrived, the speaker continued.

Police have urged residents of Kasese and the nearby districts whose relatives are missing to come forward.

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 Reports 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.