Gen Kyanda arrests two soldiers for extorting money from fishermen

By Priscillar Nyamahunge

The Chief of Staff for Land Forces Maj. Gen Leopold Kyanda has today arrested two soldiers working under the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) over alleged extortion of money from fishermen.

Kyanda is currently heading a team dubbed the “Inter-Agency Task Force” (IATF) responsible for regulating fishing operations on Lake Albert.

The arrested soldiers are Pte Wilfred Okumu and another identified as Pte Sande who have been part of the team operating from Buliisa district.

“While in Buliisa today, we found two soldiers who had not quite followed the lines of instructions and had gone beyond their required duties. They have been removed from the operation so that they allow us to investigate them further,” Kyanda said.

In May this year, the IATF team closed about 61 landing sites along Lake Albert due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On December 3, the team resolved to reopen the landing sites after thorough assessment and site visits.

However, a week later, fishermen made an outcry to the authorities alleging that a group of people were extorting money from them.

In response to the outcry on December 11th, Capt. Stephen Tumwesigye, the spokesperson of the Field Artillery Division (FAD) which is in charge of Buliisa said whoever was extorting money from the fishermen was doing it illegally and would soon be arrested.

The arrested officers have been transferred to FAD headquarters in Masindi. Ends.