RUBANDA -Police in Rubanda District have confirmed the tragic death of two individuals who were buried by a sand collapse while engaging in illegal sand mining activities at the Nyamuriro Wolfram mining site.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 3, 2025, when three individuals reportedly sneaked into the mining site under the cover of darkness to carry out unauthorized sand extraction.
According to preliminary police reports, the trio was trapped when sand caved in on them. Two of the individuals died on the spot, while the third managed to escape and is currently on the run.
The deceased have been identified as Acleo Bushato, a 27-year-old male resident of Kalere Trading Centre in Kara Parish, Muko Sub-county, Rubanda District, and another male identified only as Muhumuza, also a resident of the same area.
ASP Elly Maate, the Kigezi Regional Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident, stating that police received information at around 5:00 AM from the officer in charge of Nyamuriro Mineral Police Post.
A team led by the District Police Commander (DPC) and the Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigations Department (OC CID) swiftly responded to the scene.
“Upon arrival, the team found two police guards and Mr. Onesmus, the former chairperson of KI3R Mining Company Limited, already present, and the bodies had been retrieved from the sand,” Maate reported.
Following the incident, the DPC and his team proceeded to Kalere Trading Centre, where they conducted a community policing session to warn residents against engaging in illegal mining activities.
Maate further stated that inquiries into the incident are underway and efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend the third individual who fled the scene.
He urged the public to desist from unauthorized mining activities, warning that such practices not only violate the law but also pose serious risks to life.
