A joint security operation conducted by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and police has successfully apprehended a prime suspect in the 2019 kidnapping of American tourist Kimberly Sue Endicott.
Derrick Memory, a resident of Karukara Trading Centre, Rukarara Village, Kihembe Sub-County was arrested in the early hours of May 4, 2025, in the Kanungu District.
In a pubic statement on Sunday, May 4, 2025, UPDF’s 2nd Division Public Information Officer, Maj Kiconco Tabaro confirmed the arrest.
He revealed that the suspect, Memory had been hiding in Eastern DRC, collaborating with armed criminal gangs in Buganza, Nyamirima, Kasoso, and Goma and was found with wildlife products and military gear, suggesting involvement in poaching and cross-border crimes.
“Security forces had been tracking him since 2019, suspecting he aided the kidnappers by providing logistical support,” Maj Kiconco Tabaro said.
Earlier reports on the case indicated that the kidnapping occurred on April 2, 2019, when Endicott and her Ugandan guide were abducted at gunpoint near the Katooke Gate in the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of $500,000 (about Shs1.8 billion), and after four tense days of negotiations involving Ugandan authorities and the FBI, Endicott was released.
Memory now faces serious charges including kidnapping and aggravated robbery together with colleague, Onesmus Byaruhanga, who is accused of tracking Endicott’s movements from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Queen Elizabeth Park.
Security officials have reiterated their commitment to protecting Uganda’s tourism sector and national parks. They have warned that any threats to tourist safety will be met with strong punitive measures.
