Immigration faces probe over U.S national arrested with weapons

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Tue 13 Feb, 2018

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Police has instituted investigations into the operations of Immigration and aviation police that could have facilitated the entry into Uganda, of an American national who was arrested with uniforms, weapons and ammunition belonging to the United States Army.

57-year-old Paul Mathias Rogers was arrested over the weekend from his home in Bwebajja, along Entebbe road following a tip-off from his estranged wife Lillian Kaitesi.

A subsequent search uncovered a number of US Army uniforms, guns, ammunition, and pepper spray among other military stores.

He was later taken to Nalufenya Police facility for interrogation on charges of weapons trafficking, terrorism and illegal possession weapons.

Preliminary investigations reveal that the weapons and other military equipment's despite not being cleared to enter the country passed through Entebbe International Airport.

The police spokesperson Emilian Kayima says whoever in immigration and Aviation Police was supposed to detect these weapons but didn't or allowed them to pass will have to answer.

The development follows a video recording in which Lillian Kaitesi accused Rogers of torture and added that police has been concealing information about him.

She also revealed that he had very many weapons at home.

Based on the information, police opened a General Inquiry file through which he was arrested and his home searched.

While investigations into the illegal possession of military equipment are ongoing, police detectives have concluded the case file of alleged torture and mistreatment of the wife.

The file which is based on a complaint filed early last week has been sent to the Resident State Attorney Entebbe for sanctioning.

This is not the first time Paul Mathias Rogers is in trouble with the law in Uganda.

In March 2017, Aviation Police and Immigration officers at Entebbe Airport arrested him and confiscated a rifle which he is alleged to have brought into the country illegally.

At the time the Entebbe State Attorney advised police to keep custody of the gun but release the suspect since he had yet to commit any crime.

For a person to bring a gun into Uganda, they must be licensed both to import and be in possession of the firearm. Rogers is also being investigated by Immigration for being in possession of an expired passport.