Kidnapped American Tourist Kimberly Sue Endicott and her Tour Guide Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo Released unharmed after 5 days grueling Ordeal.
Kidnapped Victims
The American tourist Kimberly Sue Endicott from Costa Mesa California, a mother and grandmother in her mid 50s. She own and run a skin care shop back home was kidnapped last Tuesday when their Safari group vehicle was stopped at gunpoint in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The gunmen left two other elderly tourists with the duo in the Safari jeep who then raised alarm at the lodge where they were staying. But Kimberly and her tour guide driver Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo 48 years old Congolese tour guide was not spared and both of them were taken away by the gunmen.
Motive – Ransom
The local Police said the kidnappers immediately used Kimberly’s mobile phone to place a demand for $500,000 ransom and were subsequently trying to negotiate her release. ABC news reported that the spokesperson for the Tour Guide Company said ransom was paid for their release, ABC Reporter Ian Pannell was in Uganda and gathered the news. Police believes the motive for the action of the kidnappers was financial because the kidnappers did not waste time to place their demand for the money using Kimberly’s mobile phone.
Rescue
Kimberly Sue Endicott and her tour guide Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo has been released unharmed and are both in good health and sound mind. Kimberly and her tour guide Jean-Paul were returned to a lodge at the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Ugandan military spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire told Reuters and Police who said on Twitter that the Endicott and her Congolese tour guide “are in good health” and “in the safe hands” of security officials. Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo wrote on Twitter that Ms Endicott and Jean-Paul, were rescued “by Uganda security forces in the DRC”.
Location of Safari
Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the East African nation’s most popular wildlife reserves, runs along the border with conflict-wracked regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It borders the famous Virunga national park, the oldest in Africa.
Kidnap Occurrence Recorded
Usually Kidnappings are rare in Uganda said Reuters reports. And the only recent incident of kidnapping of this kind ever recorded in Uganda was the high-profile kidnapping which occurred in 1999, when eight tourists and four guides were killed in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, south of Queen Elizabeth National Park.