AMBULANCE MYSTERY: Five arrested over theft of Arua hospital ambulance, confess selling it in Congo

Police is holding in custody five suspects at Arua CPS over theft of Arua Regional Referral Hospital ambulance.

The suspects including a dental assistant, a security guard at the hospital, a driver of the hospital, a driver attached to Office of the Prime Minister, and one other ally of the four were arrested between December 2, and December 5, 2021.

According to police spokesperson for West Nile SP Angucia Josephine, upon arrest and interrogation by the joint forces of Police, ISO and CMI, the suspects truly confessed to have stolen the ambulance and taken it to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“However, they claim that they have not yet received money for the sale of the ambulance,” Angucia said.

The theft of the ambulance

The theft of the ambulance dates back to March 27, 2021 when the ambulance in question, a Toyota Land Cruiser number UG6 812M went missing from Arua hospital parking yard.

After the case was reported at Arua CPS, police commenced investigations and immediately arrested four night guards on duty at the hospital on the fateful day.

The guards were later prosecuted to courts of law from where they pleaded not guilty and the case has been going on up to date.

Since then, police says, intelligence-led investigations have been going on with a view of recovering the ambulance and to arrest the perpetrators.

“The ambulance is yet to be recovered but inquiries are ongoing so as to recover it,”

Police have also come out to dismiss rumours circulating on social media that a doctor at the hospital was among the five suspects detained.

Furthermore, the police debunked a story in one of the local publications which suggested that suspects had confessed to police, selling the ambulance at Shs300,000,000 because they thought the government was changing in May and so needed exile money.