Police shoot dead two suspected car thieves in Arua

The car that was recovered from the suspected thieves at Lia near Uganda-DRC border. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM OKELLO

ARUA.

The police in Arua have shot dead two men on allegations of theft of a Toyota Corona car.

They were shot as they attempted to cross to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the car after putting a spirited car chase by the police on Saturday morning.

The North Western Police Public Relations Officer, Ms Josephine Angucia, told Daily Monitor that: “At 6am today the police have shot dead two car thieves along Arua to Lia border custom road in Adumi Sub-county. They recovered a Toyota Premio car UAR 490 K which the suspected thieves had stolen from Kireka in Kampala and were attempting to cross the border to DR Congo.” 

She said the two bodies of Mr Geoffrey Matovu of Makindye Division in Kampala and his co-driver of Congolese origin whose names are yet to be established were taken to Arua referral Hospital mortuary as inquiries continue. 

The West Nile district that has porous borders with DR Congo has become an easy route for transportation of stolen cars. Police records indicate that this is now the 67th car that has been stolen since January. 

Some have been recovered while others are still being held in DR Congo pending negotiations with the Congolese authorities to release them.

“The two men whom the Police have been trailing were shot dead as they tried to avoid arrest. There was no exchange of fire but the men attempted to resist arrest by attacking the Flying Squad Unit Officers who were armed,” she said. 

Last month, the police also recovered a stolen truck that was being driven to DR Congo. In the process of attempting to arrest the two men, an unidentified elderly man was hit by a stray bullet on the leg but has been rushed for treatment. He was on his way to the garden. 

Security sources told Daily Monitor that normally, the stolen cars are sold in Congo at a cost varying between $2000 (Shs7m) to $2500 (Shs8.5m) depending on the type and the chassis of the car. The car theft was first registered at Kireka police on December 7 and police had been tracking it.