BEHIND BARS! Key Suspect in Kidnap of American Tourist in Queen Elizabeth National Park Arrested

A man suspected to have been involved in the kidnap and hostage taking of American tourist has been arrested in a joint UPDF and police operation. 

American tourist Kimberly Sue Endicott and her guide were kidnapped and taken hostage at Katooke gate along Ishasha Sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kanungu District on April Kimberly Sue Endecott at Katooke gate along Ishasha Sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kanungu District on April 02, 2019.

In an interview  with CBS after she was freed, Endicott said she believed the kidnap was an isolated incident and hoped it would not hurt Uganda’s tourism sector.

Kimberly Sue Endicott experience in the hands of the kidnappers

“I remember laying down on the ground and I remember hearing JP say, ‘Oh my God,’ at my exhaustion. I don’t know how long I laid there.

At one point I’m asked to get up. And I turn and look and they’ve made a tent for me out of tarps and a mosquito net, which, I remember that was the moment where I thought, ‘Why are they taking such good care of me?’

“I just start talking to them like I’m talking to you… but all the while I’m watching these young men drink water, not from the river, but from a hole in the ground. But they have bottled water for me…

“Cause that’s their life. It’s not really above living like an animal. That’s their life. If I survive this, I have a life to go back to. That’s their life. That does not condone what they did. Not even close.

Endecott also recalls she was allowed to talk to her daughter in the US.

“They let me do that [talk to my daughter in the US]… My daughter’s besides herself… Her mother’s been kidnapped. But I’m not beside myself. I’m saying, ‘Okay we can’t, like, we can’t do this now. Let’s get it together. But tell everybody what’s happening. Tell everyone what’s happening. Because I don’t know what’s being done…

They could’ve sold me to a different group. When I went out in the open they had guns that also protected me. It could’ve been so much worse than it was.”

Following the kidnap, police arrested Onesmus Byaruhanga, a 43-year-old resident of Kisamba Cell in Kanungu Town. Alleging that Byaruhanga supported the kidnappers by trailing the tourist from Bwindi National Park to  Queen Elizabeth National Park and providing information to the criminal gang, police preferred charges of ag8ravated robbery and two counts of kidnap with intent to procure a ransom against him.

Now, on Sunday, May 04 2025, Maj Kiconco Tabaro, the UPDF 2 Infantry Division Public Information Officer, has confirmed the arrest of another suspect in connection with Endicott’s kidnap.

Maj Tabaro identified the suspect as Derrick Memory, aged 30, from Karukara Trading Center, Rukarara Village, Kihembe Sub County in Kanungu District.

“Derrick has been hiding in Eastern DRC, allegedly working very closely with armed criminal gangs in Buganza, Nyamirima, kasoso and as far as Goma. He has been among those wanted for crimes committed when the American tourist and her driver were kidnapped and ransom of $500,00 demanded,” added Tabaro.

“He will provide us with useful information on cross border activities of criminal nature and which have a bearing on our border Security. Those with criminal intent on our tourism will be be dealt with decisively.

He added that at the time of his arrest at around 0300hrs, Derrick was found in possession of wild animal products and military items.

Derrick had been arrested and charged in court but joined his other two colleagues who are in possession of guns and have never been caught since the incident in 2019.

Tabaro also said that Derrick had been sneaking into Uganda through porous border in areas of Rwamagali and Bukunkulima and that joint security forces had been monitoring his movements since April 2019.

“We continue to appeal to our communities neighboring National Parks and other vital areas to desist from engaging in activities which put wildlife into danger. Also participating in activities which sabotage tourism is punishable by laws of Uganda,” he added.

“Otherwise, our border with DRC and National Parks remain peaceful with usual activities going on very well.”

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