Impounded Cattle Returned To Jie

By Nathan EtenguThe cattle impounded by the UPDF from the Jie Karimojong were on Wednesday handed back following a misunderstanding between the army and the LC5 chairman, Moroto, Mr. Terence Achia.The UPDF 3rd division commander, Col. Sula Semakula, said he released the cattle to the Jie after Moroto district failed to produce the alleged victims of the April 30 raid. “We had agreed that all parties meet at Lopei swamp to scrutinise the cattle but Achia decided to bring the councillors instead of the actual victims of the raid,” Semakula said.He said the army had impounded the cattle following a tip-off that the raiders had hidden them in Kacheri and Rengen areas. The Army Chief of Staff, Brigadier James Nakibus Lakara, on Monday ordered that the cattle be screened and those belonging to the pastoralists handed back.Col. Semakula said the Jie had turned up as agreed and had brought along the herdsboys who had been looking after the cattle in the rangeland. He said Achia deliberately left behind the rightful claimants and opted to transport the councillors to receive the cattle without any screening.“I demanded to know from him as to whether the cattle that were raided belonged only to the councillors,” said Semakula. He said Achia had also set up military demands to the Jie as a condition for the Bokora to receive the raided cattle. He said that Achia had demanded that the Jie produce the suspected raiders and the guns used in the raid.Ends