The governments of the United Kingdom and South Africa have instructed the Ugandan forensic team to halt the postmortem examination on their two nationals who tragically lost their lives in Queen Elizabeth National Park last week.
The victims, David Barlow and Celia Geyer, hailing from the UK and South Africa respectively, had embarked on a journey to Uganda for a romantic honeymoon. However, their dream vacation took a horrific turn when they fell into the hands of assailants linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group operating in the region.
After the brutal incident, security personnel swiftly transported the bodies of the foreign tourists along with that of their Ugandan tour guide, Eric Aryayi, to Mulago Hospital for postmortem examination. Eric Aryayi's body was examined and subsequently handed over to his grieving relatives for burial. However, it has come to light that the governments of the UK and South Africa have requested that Ugandan forensic experts refrain from conducting further examinations until their own experts arrive.
Senior Commissioner of Police (SCP) Fred Enanga made a joint security statement, explaining that Ugandan forensic experts would postpone the postmortem examinations until their counterparts from the UK and South Africa were present. The results of the postmortem will be shared through an official statement to the High Commissions of the United Kingdom and South Africa, shedding light on the circumstances of the victims' deaths.
According to reports from The Guardian Newspaper, David Barlow was a UK-based businessman, and his wife, Celia Geyer, was a South African-born hotel executive. The couple resided in Hampstead Norreys, a village near Newbury in Berkshire. They had recently celebrated their marriage, with their honeymoon taking a tragic and unexpected turn only three days later.
David Barlow was an active member of the community, serving as the chairman of the Hampstead Norreys parish council and being involved with the local cricket club. He also ran a wood yard in nearby Hermitage.
In response to the incident, the Inspector General of Police, Martin Ochola, has ordered the Integrated Highway Patrol commander to deploy additional personnel on major roads and highways in Kasese district and the surrounding areas. These increased patrols aim to enhance security and maintain law and order in the region.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has strongly condemned the suspected ADF rebels for the killings of David Barlow and Celia Geyer. He has vowed that those responsible for these heinous acts will face the most severe consequences for their actions. This tragic incident comes on the heels of a previous attack by the same suspected ADF group, which led to the death of two Ugandan citizens who were burned alive inside a truck.
