Security guard arrested for shooting Senior Four student

Police in Lira are holding a security guard on allegations of attempted murder.

Mr Patrick Jimmy Okema, the North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, said the suspect, who is attached to a local security group, is accused of shooting a Senior Four student of Lira Town College.

Mr Okema said while the guard was escorting his girlfriend, a student in Lira Town, he met Morris Odongo (victim) and other students, who had allegedly escaped from school. The students reportedly attacked him and this prompted the guard to shoot and injure Odongo in the right leg.

“Police in Lira responded to the crime scene, picked up the victim and rushed him to Lira Regional Referral Hospital, where he is getting treatment,” he said.

Mr Okema added that police recovered one cartridge, and blood sample of the victim, which were submitted to Government Analytical Laboratory for analysis.

He added that the police flying squad arrested the suspect together with his girlfriend from their rented room in Tekulu Cell in Lira City.

“We recovered the gun from the suspect and it was also submitted to ballistic experts for analysis. The suspect is in custody on holding charge of attempted murder,” he said.

Mr Okema said police have registered several complaints from the public about students snatching items such as phones, bags, laptops, and food items from market vendors.

“We, therefore, want to advise and direct students to follow school rules and regulations as well as school programmes. They should avoid initiating personal programmes while at school and management must also come up with strict mechanisms of handling such errant students,” he added.

By press time Thursday morning, the school administration was yet to comment on the matter.