Ugandan Authorities have Monday (May 27, 2019) handed over to Rwanda the body of John Baptist Karengye, a Rwandan national that was shot dead by Rwandan armed forces at the Ugandan Border with Rwanda.

Karengye, 25, was shot dead in the Ugandan territory as he tried to cross back to Rwanda with merchandise loaded on a motorcycle. A Ugandan was also shot during the incident.

Rwanda officials however maintain that Karengye was shot in Rwanda but do not explain how his body entered Uganda.

The handover, which took place in the no man’s land at Katuna Border, was graced by Diplomats from the East African Region and the United Nations.

The body was received by Rwandan officials led by Nyagatare Mayor David Mushabe, who appreciated Uganda for handing them the body.

“But you should not stop at handing us the dead. You should also hand us back other Rwandans being held at various facilities in Uganda,” Mushabe said.

The shooting incident comes at a time when Uganda and Rwanda are entangled in a row that has lasted months.

Rwanda in March this year closed some of the border points with Uganda, denying Ugandan cargo trucks from accessing Rwanda and also warned their citizens from crossing to Uganda.

Rwanda accuses Uganda of harboring and or supporting dissidents, detaining, torture, harassment and deportation of Rwandan Nationals without consular access.

However in a 5th March 2019 statement issued by Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kuteesa, the Ugandan government denied Rwanda’s accusations.