Police driver hands self to police after knocking UPDF soldier dead
Police patrol vehicles. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY
A police driver has handed himself to law enforcers at Pader Central Police Station after he allegedly knocked a soldier on Friday, authorities have said.
The deceased has since been identified as Corporal Zadock Ojok, a member of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) in Pader District.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, police said Corporal Churchill Ocaya, the driver of a Police patrol believed to have killed Ojok, surrendered to authorities during the weekend.
Apac District Police Commander (DPC) Rodgers Kapere confirmed that the suspect was at Pader Central Police Station. However, Kapere did not necessarily clarify whether the suspect was detained or not.
"He is now at Pader recording a statement. Police from that side are now investigating the matter. The Inspector of vehicles (IOV) from Lira District will go there to assess the ill-fated vehicle to find out if there was a break failure or not so that the vehicle is released,” he said in a telephone interview on Sunday.
Ocaya, from Apac Central Police Station, was driving a police vehicle linked to knocking Ojok dead as he was manning a checkpoint along Lira-Kitgum Road, Rackoko Trading Centre in Pader District.
Initial reports indicated that the suspect reportedly escaped from his duty station on December 15 to take his family to his village in Pader District.
“It's alleged that he transported the family members using a police van and was armed with riffle number UG-POL.56 – 128110031 loaded with 60 rounds of ammunition,” police noted.
