Police in Ayivu East division of Arua City have rescued a 65 year old woman from vigilantes who were caning her over stealing.
Thereza Angucia, a peasant and resident of Olivu A Cell, Oreku ward in Arua City was saved from a vigilante who was caning her at Manibe Trading Center, having been accused of stealing luggage from a bus stop.
It's alleged that on April, 24, 2024 at about 1:00 pm, a one Twalibu Avutia, 51, a peasant and resident of Baruku cell, Baza ward, Arua central Division in Arua City, came from his home heading to Maracha district with two white polyethene bags containing food stuffs, and utensils that he placed at the bus stage pending transport.
He left the luggage under the watch of some boda boda riders at the stage and went back to collect his colleagues with whom he was to travel.
On the other hand, the victim, Angucia received information from her neighbour that her food stuffs that she was expecting from Nebbi district had been sent and were offloaded at the same bus stage pending collection by her.
Coincidentally, she also rushed to the same bus stage and got the items she found unattended to.
She picked the bag with food stuffs and took it with her home.
However, when she returned to pick the remaining items from the bus stage, she was grabbed after being identified by the bodaboda riders to have been the one who took the first items.
Avutia got sticks and started caning Angucia for having stolen his property.
It was a police officer near the scene who responded to rescue the old woman, and arrested the suspect immediately.
Josephine Angucia, the regional police spokesperson West Nile Sub Region confirmed the arrest of Avutia and said that a case of assault was registered at Manibe police station,
She added that police visited, examined and documented the crime scene, recovered broken sticks and exhibited them but also recorded statements from witnesses and locals in the area.
The suspect is currently detained at Manibe police station as inquiries continue under Ayivu East Division police station CRB 85/2024.
Angucia advised locals to refrain from taking the law in their hands and report such matters to police or nearest authority for proper investigations and appropriate action.