______________________

One person has been killed in a shooting incident at the Jinja Magistrates Court.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga says Muwanika Abel aka Abizare was last week escaping from the chief magistrate's court when he was shot by one of their officers manding the remandees at the Jinja city-based court.

He says a manhunt is ongoing for one other person over escaping from the lawful custody.

"They were trying to escape to avoid being transported back to prison," he says, adding that their officers who were guarding the court fired warning shots in the air which the two refused to heed.

He has identified the other suspect as Senoga Ashiraf.

The duo had been delivered to the court on charges of aggravated robbery, according to Enanga who made the revelations during the weekly joint media briefing in Kampala on Monday, February 19, 2024.

"They refused to stop so they (Police officers) fired at them. Unfortunately, Muwanika Abel was fatally wounded and Senoga Ashiraf managed to escape," Enanga added.

He cautioned the public against acts of escape: " We are seeing an increase in acts of violence and defiance against Police officers on duty even when our officers have gone for arrest".

"We want to send a warning out there that escape from lawful custody is dangerous and life-threatening because it is one of the circumstances under which an officer is allowed to use a firearm stop and prevent an escape from unlawful custody and in some instances it can be life-threatening," Enanga added.