The UPDF has finally buried Pte Wilson Sabiiti after 3 weeks with military honours accorded to a soldier of his rank despite an earlier statement that the deceased had died by suicide and therefore wouldn’t be saluted.
Hundreds of mourners have gathered at Mubali village, Kijura town council in Kabarole District in western Uganda to attend the burial ceremony of Sabiiti, who on May 2 shot and killed his boss Minister Charles Engola and also took his life.
The military has since been holding his body on account of carrying out an investigation despite calls from Sabiiti’s family allow them bury him.
The army, in the wee hours of Tuesday, May 23 delivered the body at the deceased’s home. The burial ceremony kicked off at midday.
The UPDF publicist Brig Felix Kulayigye who earlier stated that Sabiiti wouldn’t be buried by UPDF, told this website that the army leadership has since decided to bury him as “a soldier.”
“Flexibility. The UPDF leadership has decided.”
Asked whether the change of position doesn’t breach the UPDF laws regarding burial of a soldier who commits suicide and considering that he murdered his principal, Kulayigye wondered what the public wants.
“For a month the public has been concerned when we said Sabiiti wouldn’t be given a military burial. Now we have allowed you are still complaining,” he said.
Sabiiti has been buried with 3 gun volleys like it is done for a soldier at the rank of Private up to a Colonel.