A Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier deployed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been arrested for allegedly shooting dead his superior officer and three other people at a local bar in Mahagi Territory, near Zale Airport.

According to preliminary reports, the suspect a UPDF sergeant whose name has been withheld for security reasons opened fire on his commanding officer, Maj Gabriel Ukoya, his bodyguard Sgt Mathew Ovuni, and two women identified as Pascaline Giramiya, a Ugandan national, and Mandawun Abedirwoth, a Congolese bar owner.

Eyewitnesses said the shooting occurred on Saturday following a heated confrontation between the suspect and his commander. Some local sources claim the altercation was sparked by a personal disagreement, with the sergeant accusing his superior of being romantically involved with his girlfriend. It is also suspected that the assailant was intoxicated at the time of the attack.

UPDF 4th Division Commander Brig Gen Felix Busizoori confirmed the incident, noting that the soldier had been apprehended and would face prosecution. “We have arrested the suspect. Regardless of whether alcohol influenced his actions or not, he will be tried in accordance with military law,” he stated.

A board of inquiry has since been dispatched to Mahagi to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. The UPDF leadership has also indicated plans to conduct the soldier’s trial at the scene of the crime as a deterrent and to maintain public confidence among the local Congolese community.

The UPDF has been operating in eastern DRC since 2021 under Operation Shujaa, a joint mission with Congolese forces to eliminate the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The latest incident has reignited debate over discipline and conduct among troops serving in foreign missions.