Ugandan troops shot for priest's murder

Two soldiers have been executed by firing squad for murdering an Irish priest and two companions in Uganda's volatile north-eastern region of Karamoja.

They were tied to trees, had their faces covered and were shot, witnesses told the BBC's Will Ross in Kampala.

The crime was carried out by individuals, but not by the army as an institution

Lieutenant Peter Twesigye

A crowd of around 1,000 people witnessed the executions.

Roman Catholic priest Declan O'Toole, his driver and a passenger were shot dead as they drove through the Kotido district on Thursday evening.

Our correspondent says that the army was keen to proceed quickly as it was concerned about undermining public confidence in a government policy of persuading Karamoja residents to give up their guns.

"We want to show the public that the crime was carried out by individuals, but not by the army as an institution," said Lieutenant Peter Twesigye, a military official in the region.

Corporal James Omediyo and Private Abdullah Mohammed were arrested on Saturday and executed at 1706 local time (1406 GMT).

Gun culture

An army spokesman earlier said that the soldiers would not have the right of appeal against the verdict because "field court marshals are so stringent".

Local media reports said the 31-year-old priest had been beaten earlier this month by government soldiers.

He had accused them of using excessive force while searching residents of his Panyangela parish for weapons, the reports said.

Guns are widespread among the region's tribes

The soldiers were implementing a government-sponsored initiative to disarm the region's heavily-armed Karamajong tribal warriors.

However, the Associated Press news agency reports that the killings appeared to be an armed robbery.

Karamoja is one of Uganda's most lawless regions. A proliferation of guns in the area has fostered a culture of violent cattle raids between rival warriors.

Aides to Father O'Toole in Kampala said the three victims appeared to have been shot at close range.

They told the French AFP news agency that the Catholic priest had fled to the capital, Kampala, after he was first attacked, but had returned to his parish when the Ugandan Government and Irish Embassy assured him he would be safe there.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni launched the campaign for voluntary disarmament in December 2001 to try to persuade the Karamajong cattle-keepers to hand over the 40,000 weapons they are estimated to possess.