The Rwanda government has deported four Ugandans who had spent close to a week in custody.
In a move interpreted as reciprocating Kampala’s release of Rwandans over a week ago, Rwanda security forces on Saturday, January 11, transported the four Ugandans and handed them over to Immigration officials at Katuna border post in Kabale District.
They are; Ernest Agaba, 24, Samuel Arineitwe, 24, Ernest Bangirana, 41, and Ambrose Twesigomwe, 39.
Speaking to journalists, the group said they had been detained at Mirundi Police Station but that they were not tortured.
“We had crossed into Rwanda to look for our relative who is is mentally ill. At the time of our arrest, we did not know that we were on Rwandan soil,” Bangirana told press.
He added that for all the time they were in the police cell, they were fed on boiled maize seeds and water.
“On reaching Gatuna the Rwandan security officials took our photographs, photocopied our National Identity cards before they handed us to the Ugandan immigration officials at Katuna,” Mr Bangirana added.
Bangirana and Twesigomwe are residents of Rugarama village, Buhara Sub County in Kabale District while Agaba is a resident of Mubungo village in Buhara Sub County Kabale District.
Arineitwe is a resident of Mayengo village in Katuna town council.
Agaba, on the other hand, had crossed to Rwanda to visit his grandfather who stays at Gatoma village in Kizinga on December 29, 2019.
Arineitwe said he was arrested on Saturday as he transported a passenger on his bicycle into Rwanda from Katuna town council.
All the victims told the journalists that they survived on boiled maize and beans served daily by police authorities.
They were not tortured or mistreated but given 20 liters of water per day.
This comes shortly after Uganda also released nine Rwandans who had been languishing in prisons.
