By Paul Watala

Fourteen people have so far been arrested in connection to the murder of a police officer last Tuesday who had gone to arrest a suspect in Buwesa village, Bubutu Sub-county.

Five of the suspects were on Sunday night picked from their homes.

Eastern region police spokesperson, Diana Nandawula, identified the suspects as; Rogers Walyawula, Moses Malaka,  Colielus Mukasa, Joseph Buketi, Michael Wandela, Patrick Namisi, Damascus Katami, Michael Wanata, Charles Wafula, Robert Wafula, Martin Mabonga, Joseph Masabi and Paul Nakhaima.

Corporal Geoffrey Adukai, 47, met his fate when he set out on a mission to arrest a suspect identified as James Murunga who was being accused of threatening violence.

The deceased was in the company of two community crime preventers; John Infarura and Steven Malako.

However, the operation went up in smoke and turned tragic when, in an attempt to block the suspect from fleeing, the Police shot in the air but a stray bullet killed a resident identified as Wanamboka. 

The incident sparked a wave of violence that claimed the A.ukai's life after he was lynched by residents and a Police motorcycle he was using set ablaze .

One of his colleagues was taken injured to hospital while another escaped unhurt. Nandawula said that the Police deployed plain clothed officers that started investigating and hunting for suspects who had fled their homes for fear of arrest.

“As investigations are going on residents have started naming the team of leaders in the crime,” he said.

“Those who had fled their homes are now coming back at night but our intelligence on the ground tipped us and we effected the arrests,” Nandawula said.

Nandawula said the police officer who was in critical condition is steadily recovering, adding that the suspects are now being detained at Manafwa police station waiting to be taken to court to answer charges of murder.