Alfred Ogwang

Case overview

Alfred Ogwang was a police constable who was found guilty of 13 counts of murder in connection with the Kamwenge Trading Centre shooting.

Timeline

• December 25, 1994 (evening, about 9 p.m.) — Alfred Ogwang, a 28-year-old police officer stationed at the Kamwenge Police Post, went to attend a disco dance at the Kamwenge Trading Centre.
• December 25, 1994 (about 11 p.m.) — When he tried to enter the canteen to get some beer, he found the door blocked from the inside by several guests.
• December 26, 1994 (just after midnight) — Alfred Ogwang began shooting in the canteen; he shot dead Geofrey Ruhara, John Rutaro, Patrick Kugonza, and Stephen Chance, and later turned his rifle against the crowd in the dancing hall. He stopped firing when the generator was switched off and the lights went out, then fled.
• December 26, 1994 (morning, about 7 a.m.) — Inspector Kisembo met Ogwang at the barracks after being awakened by shots.
• December 26, 1994 (after the struggle at the barracks) — Ogwang escaped to Dura where he had a brother at an army post.
• Next day after escaping to Dura — Ogwang was arrested in Dura and brought back to Kamwenge.
• December 29, 1994 — An examination of Ogwang’s mental state found him to be sane.
• During trial (dates not stated) — Ogwang denied having committed the murders and the judge dismissed the claims he presented while finding him guilty of 13 counts of murder.

Background

The Kamwenge Trading Centre shooting was a mass murder in Kamwenge, Uganda on December 26, 1994.

The offence

On the evening of December 25, 1994, at about 9 p.m., 28-year-old police officer Alfred Ogwang, stationed at the Kamwenge Police Post, went to attend a disco dance at the Kamwenge Trading Centre.

When he tried to enter the canteen to get some beer at about 11 p.m., the door was blocked from the inside by several guests. After he was finally let in, he got into an argument with Geofrey Ruhara for this provocation, and all the guests were taken out of the canteen. Outside, Ruhara apologized to Ogwang, who was still angered and then went home.

After returning to the barracks, Ogwang fetched his gun, described as an SMG rifle, and made his way back to the Trading Centre. Just after midnight, Ogwang began shooting in the canteen. He first shot dead Geofrey Ruhara, then killed John Rutaro, Patrick Kugonza, and Stephen Chance. While yelling, “I will finish you all!”, he turned his rifle against the crowd in the dancing hall. When the generator was switched off and the lights went out in the building, Ogwang stopped firing and fled.

By then, he had killed 13 people and wounded 14 others.

Investigation and arrest

In the morning at about 7 a.m., Ogwang was met at the barracks by Inspector Kisembo. Kisembo said he was awakened by some shots. Ogwang aimed his rifle at Kisembo, and Kisembo managed to wrest it from Ogwang’s hands after a short struggle. While Kisembo went back to sleep, Ogwang escaped to Dura, where he had a brother at an army post.

Ogwang was arrested the next day in Dura and brought back to Kamwenge.

Trial

During his trial, Alfred Ogwang denied having committed the murders. He said he had handed his rifle to a member of the Local Defence Unit at the entrance of the disco, not knowing what had happened to it afterwards. He also stated that he was too drunk to remember anything that night, and that he only learned about the shooting the next morning when an angry crowd appeared at the barracks accusing him of killing people at the disco. The judge dismissed all of these claims and found him guilty of 13 counts of murder.

Sentencing

Sentence unknown.

Outcome

Alfred Ogwang was found guilty of 13 counts of murder.

Victims

The victims named were:

• Beya Birungi
• Stephen Chance
• Margaret Friday
• Patrick Kugonza
• Wilson Mugisha Mulindwa Ngaye
• Geofrey Ruhara
• John Rutaro
• Shaban Micheal Tumwesigye
• Charles Turyazayo