UPDF recruitment team hands over defilement suspect to authorities
According to UPDF Mountain Division spokesperson Maj. Bilal Katamba, the suspect identified as Michael Ojok, is a resident of Agali Village, Adawre Sub-County in Otuke District.
Michael Ojok (centre) being handed over to Otuke Deputy RDC Isaac Opia Opeo (2nd-R) on Monday, August, 17. (Courtesy photo)
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A team of Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) currently conducting the recruitment exercise in Lira district have apprehended and handed over a 20-year-old defilement suspect to authorities.
According to UPDF Mountain Division spokesperson Maj. Bilal Katamba, the suspect identified as Michael Ojok, is a resident of Agali Village, Adawre Sub-County in Otuke District.
Katamba, who is part of the recruitment team in Northern Uganda, said the suspect was identified at the Lira Recruitment Centre during the physical screening exercise for candidates from Alebtong and Otuke districts on Monday morning, August 17, 2026.
“Our team had shortlisted Ojok, among the successful candidates during our screening exercise, but one of the police officers investigating a case where he (Ojok) is alleged to have defiled a 16-year-old girl, alerted us upon reading his name at the Otuke District Headquarters noticeboard and we quickly handed him over, reaffirming the military's strict policy against recruiting individuals with criminal records,” Katamba said.
The recruitment team leader, Col. Frasser Gai Mpaddwa, said Ojok was formally handed over to the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Otuke District, Isaac Opia Opeo, who later handed the suspect over to Police for immediate legal processing and custody.
"The UPDF does not recruit suspected criminals into its ranks," Mpaddwa emphasised during the handover.
Forged documents
He identified the suspects as Winfrey Lanyoro, 25, a mother of one from Kerala Village in Purongo Sub-County, Gulu District; Tony Katende, 27, a father of two from Pawati Miru Village, Purongo Sub-County; and Nancy Agenorwor, 25, from the same locality as Katende.
“The trio obtained genuine recruitment documents belonging to a qualified applicant, scanned them and forged copies by replacing the original candidate’s personal details with their own,” he noted.
Katamba reaffirmed that the UPDF maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards forgery and corruption, adding that the suspects would be arraigned before courts of law to face appropriate charges upon completion of investigations.
He reiterated; “The UPDF strictly admits crime-free youth. This stringent vetting process is the reason the military mandates verified paperwork, including recommendations from Local Council 1 (LC1) chairpersons and District Internal Security Officers, as basic entry requirements.”
On his part, the Otuke Deputy RDC (Opeo) commended the security agencies for their seamless coordination and cooperation, which led to the timely apprehension of the suspects.