Stolen police gun recovered as two suspected thugs arrested in Tororo
Bukedi South Regional Police spokesperson, IP Moses Mugwe. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Home search details reveal an AK47 gun stolen from a policeman was recovered with 28 rounds of ammunition from an incomplete kitchen.
Police in Tororo District have arrested two people, including a businessman, on allegations of illegal possession of government stores.
The suspects were arrested in an operation to recover a gun that was stolen from a police officer attached to Tororo Central Police Station.
Bukedi South Regional Police spokesperson Moses Mugwe told Monitor that forces recovered a police gun on March 3, 2024 at 2am from Suruti Zone, Central ward, Magodesi Town Council in Tororo District.
He identified the suspects as Haruna Tabu, a resident of Mukujju in Tororo District and 32-year-old businessman William Ojore, a resident of Agururu A cell, Western division in Tororo Municipality.
“Police together with Flying Squad, Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) and Crime Intelligence Officers (CIO) tracked and arrested two prime suspects who are part of the gang that has been involved in a series of armed robberies in Tororo and on interrogation, Tabu revealed that it's Ojore keeping the gun,” Mugwe explained.
Tabu immediately led police to Ojore’s home in Suruti Village where he was hiding the gun in the home of Joseph Okongo, according to police.
Home search details reveal an AK47 gun was recovered with 28 rounds of ammunition from an incomplete kitchen.
The items had been wrapped in a khaki trouser, mosquito net and packed in a sack hidden in a heap of fire wood.
Authorities say the gun belonged to police constable (PC) Richard Otwani who was attacked in January 2024 while heading for duty- and a gun loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition stolen from him in South central East zone, Eastern Division, Tororo Municipality.
Police note that the victim was rescued by a boda-boda rider who took him to Tororo Central Police Station where he reported a case of gun robbery.
“The victim was then rushed to Tororo General Hospital for treatment and his life is currently out of danger,” police said on Sunday.
According to Police crime annual report of 2022, a total of 2,516 cases of aggravated robbery (where lethal weapons like firearms, knives, hammer and machetes etc were used) were reported to the Police compared to 1,956 cases reported in 2021, giving a 28.6% increase in this crime category.
The same report indicates that Bukedi South registered 14 cases of robbery.
