LDU shoots suspect dead in Mpigi

There was panic at Buyala village, Muduuma Sub County in Mpigi District after a Local Defence Unit (LDU) guard shot and killed one of the residents.

Mr Faisal Mpanga, directly elected councillor representing Muduuma Sub County in Mpigi District Council, identified the deceased as Samuel Odukur, 40.
He said Odukur was killed at around 9.30pm on Sunday.

"Police commanded by a one Julius Kasiima (the officer in charge of Buyala Police Post) came with the LDU personnel to arrest Odukur who had allegedly clobbered his wife like an animal over domestic misunderstandings. He tried to resist arrest and the OC ordered the LDU to shoot him," Mr Mpanga told this reporter.

When contacted for a comment on the case, Major Bilal Yusuf Katamba, the Public Information Officer of the Uganda People's Defence Forces-First Infantry Division, said he was not ready to avail the information to the press.

"I'm still in the meeting for a while but I'll call you back," he said on Monday morning.

When we tried to call him back, he said: "I'm trying to call our officers to know what is on the ground in that area. So they're going to send me a detailed report soon. I'll be able to get back to you later."

However, Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the shooting and said the LDU personnel had been detained on charges of murder.

“The victim (Odukur) was very angry because reports show he had even engaged in several fist-fights with the landlord, his wife and local leaders. So we decided to use LDU because he had become very dangerous to the lives of others. We have the suspect and charged him with murder by shooting as we continue to investigate the matter to see whether it's justifiable or not," Mr Owoyesigyire said.
By press time, the "shooter" was detained at Kakiri army barracks pending further inquiries while Odukur’s body had been taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital for postmortem.

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