Karamojong warriors storm police Anti-Theft Unit, leave one officer dead

According to Michael Longole, Karamoja Regional Police Spokesperson, the suspected Jie warriors attacked at around 8pm and shot the officer in his homestead.

“PC No 49256 Richard Aku, aged 32, was shot and killed instantly. He was shot at in front of his uniport. The body is being transported to Kotido HC IV for postmortem,” Longole said.

He noted that they received information about the raid and promptly dispatched an Armed Personnel Carrier (APC), but it was too late for Aku and the rustlers had fled.

The raids have resumed after weeks of peace and quiet enjoyed by the residents due to the presence of President Museveni in the area. At the time of his arrival, to attend the ceremony of passing out 2610 Local Defence Unit Personnel who had completed training at the Labwordwong Training School in Agago district, the raiders had propagated a network of crime to steal from, kill, molest residents.

Also read: 230 of Museveni's goats stolen in Karamoja

During the ceremony, Museveni reassured the residents that the new armed forces would soon frustrate the raiders.

“We had removed the fifth division for training and they took advantage of that. But now we have brought it back. It will help make the rustlers lose appetite for the gun,” he said.

He also gave out goats to locals to further discourage cattle rustling. Unfortunately, the raiders appear to be insatiable and untamable going as far as attacking the security forces intended neutralise them.