The Ugandan army authorities have acknowledged the presence of a Rwandan dissident, who was recently arrested on allegations of assault.

Maj. Richard Buwembo a.k.a Charles Gapfizi, who allegedly deserted the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) about two years ago, was last weekend arrested over an assault offence.

Reports indicated that Buwembo was arrested last Sunday after he got involved in a bar fight in Nateete, a Kampala suburb.

"We knew that he (Buwembo) was around,” confirmed the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Spokesman, Maj. Felix Kulayigye.

A pistol and Rwandan and Uganda army fatigues were also reported to have been recovered from his home.

He was alleged to have been in possession of Rwandan, Ugandan and Congolese passports.

Rwanda’s Military Spokesman, Maj. Jill Rutaremara, said they still have interest in Buwembo, whom he alleged had links with negative forces fighting Kigali.

"We know he was working with negative forces. It is true that he has links with FDLR (the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) but he is also involved with other groups,” he said.

Rutaremara said Rwanda would request for his extradition through the appropriate mechanisms existing between the two countries.

But Kulayigye said that Buwembo "could have decided to come back because he is a Ugandan.” Buwembo is reported to have joined the former Rwanda Patriotic Front (now Rwanda Defence Forces) from the then National Resistance Army, which is at the present called the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).

But by press time, latest reports indicated that Buwembo had been released on police bond.

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