Police in Terego District have launched investigations into the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old boda boda rider in what is suspected to be an aggravated robbery along Katrini Secondary School Road.
The deceased, identified as Bill Yamindu, a resident of Ora Village in Olua Parish, Katrini Sub-county, was shot dead on Tuesday at around 10:00 a.m. The incident was reported to police approximately 30 minutes later.
According to preliminary findings, the attackers posed as passengers and hired Yamindu from a boda boda stage at Ojipaku Trading Centre before directing him along Katrini Secondary School Road.
West Nile Regional Police Spokesperson, SSP Josephine Angucia, said the suspects later changed their plan after noticing people working in nearby gardens.
“When the suspects saw a group of people cultivating ahead, they ordered the rider to turn back. As he attempted to do so, one of the hooded assailants pulled out a gun from a bag and shot him from behind,” SSP Angucia said.
She added that the attackers immediately fled the scene with the victim’s motorcycle, a red Bajaj, whose registration details are yet to be confirmed by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
“The attackers took off with the deceased’s red Bajaj motorcycle and disappeared to an unknown destination. Our teams are actively pursuing leads to recover the motorcycle and arrest all those involved,” she said.
Police later visited the scene, recorded witness statements, and transported the body to Arua Regional Referral Hospital for postmortem examination.
In a breakthrough, one suspect identified as Moses Otori was arrested with the help of community members and is currently in custody assisting with investigations.
“We commend the community for the swift response that led to the arrest of one suspect. This kind of cooperation is critical in fighting crime,” SSP Angucia noted.
The case has been registered under Terego District CRB 152/2026, with police continuing efforts to track down other suspects and recover the firearm used in the attack.
Authorities have warned that the circulation of illegal firearms continues to pose a serious threat to public safety, particularly in rural communities.
“The longer such guns remain in the hands of wrong elements, the more incidents of violence we are likely to witness,” SSP Angucia said, urging residents to provide information that can aid ongoing investigations.
The incident has heightened concern among residents over rising insecurity, especially targeting boda boda riders who are increasingly being attacked by criminals posing as passengers.