A burnt out structure of a vehicle in which the slain tourists were travelling
Kampala, Uganda I HABARI DAILY I The governments of the United Kingdom and South Africa have instructed Ugandan forensic experts to suspend the postmortem examination of their two nationals, David Barlow and Celia Geyer, who were killed in Queen Elizabeth National Park last week.
The honeymooning couple found themselves in the clutches of killers linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant group known for its violent activities.
David Barlow, a UK national, and Celia Geyer, a South African national, had come to Uganda to celebrate their honeymoon, but their dream vacation was cut short by a horrifying encounter with the ADF. The security forces promptly transported their bodies, along with that of Ugandan tour guide Eric Aryayi, to Mulago Hospital for postmortem examinations.
While Eric Aryayi’s body was examined and subsequently released to his family for burial, it has now been revealed that the UK and South African governments have instructed Ugandan forensic experts not to proceed with the postmortem until their own experts arrive on the scene.
Senior Commissioner of Police (SCP) Fred Enanga, in a joint security statement, confirmed that Ugandan forensic experts would await the arrival of their counterparts from the UK and South Africa before conducting the postmortem.
Once the postmortems are completed, an official statement will be issued, detailing the cause of death and shared with the High Commissions of the UK and South Africa.
David Barlow, a UK businessman, and Celia Geyer, a South African-born hotel executive, lived in Hampstead Norreys, a village near Newbury in Berkshire. Their untimely demise occurred just three days after their wedding, shattering their dreams of a beautiful honeymoon in Uganda.
Barlow was not only a businessman but also chaired the Hampstead Norreys parish council and the local cricket club. The couple’s tragic end has cast a shadow over their peaceful life in the UK and left their loved ones devastated.
In response to this heinous crime, the Inspector General of Police, Martin Ochola, has ordered the deployment of the Integrated Highway Patrol commander on all major roads and highways in Kasese district and the surrounding areas. This decision reflects the Ugandan government’s commitment to enhancing security and preventing such tragic incidents from happening in the future.
President Yoweri Museveni has also expressed his strong condemnation of the suspected ADF rebels responsible for the murder of David Barlow and Celia Geyer. He vowed that these criminals would face severe consequences for their actions.
Prior to this attack, the same ADF group had ambushed and killed two Ugandans, burning them alive inside a truck, underscoring the urgency of tackling the threat posed by such militant groups in the region.
The international community, particularly the UK and South Africa, anxiously awaits the outcome of the postmortem examinations, hoping for answers and justice for the slain honeymooners. Uganda, in the face of such tragic events, remains determined to bolster its security measures and bring those responsible for these crimes to justice
