Police in Lira have expressed concern of over illegal use of firearms in the district which has led to high crime rates.
This came after a police officer and a civilian were arrested while in possession of an illegal firearm they were trying to sell.
The two suspects; Emmanuel Oyanga,a PPC no-71630, attached to Bugweri Police Station, and Isaac Ocaka, a resident of Teduka cell, Aduku Town council, in Kwania district were arrested in Lira city.
Patrick Jimmy Okema, the North Kyoga police spokesperson confirmed the development noting that a concerned resident tipped the force leading to the duo’s arrest.
He explained that the suspects are under their custody and investigations into the matter have kicked off.
“The community members tipped us about a planned selling of a gun by somebody at Shs 2 million. A follow-up was made within Lira city as per the intelligence since we didn’t take this matter lightly,” he told the Nile Post in a phone interview.
He said the two suspects were apprehended and are currently under our custody.
Lira Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Lawrence Egole noted that the illegal use of firearms in the region has been of a great concern adding that many people have lost their lives in the hands of the illegal gun users.
“Illegal use of guns is of a great concern in this region, that is what I can tell you. We have so far recovered five guns,”he noted.
Between July 1 and December 31, 2020, police findings showed that 11 out of 20 guns recovered from criminals belonged to the UPDF, while five were from the Uganda Prisons Service and three from the Police Force.
