Four injured as Police fires at mob in Tororo
Feb 18, 2010
Four people sustained bullet wounds when Police officers opened fire to disperse a mob in Tororo district.
By Moses Nampala
Four people sustained bullet wounds when Police officers opened fire to disperse a mob in Tororo district.
The mob, armed with pangas, sticks and stones, charged at the Police who tried to stop them from lynching two suspected robbers in Amalaka in Mulanda sub-county, prompting the shoot-out.
The injured, Peter Ochwo, Fifa Abo Jono, Michael Sande and Christopher Owor, were rushed to Tororo Hospital.
The district Police boss, Joseph Engwedu, described the incident as unfortunate.
“My appeal to the public is to cooperate with the Police in the fight against crime,†he said.
The district crime chief, Noah Byamugisha, said the four officers involved in the incident were attached to Mulanda Police Post.
They are Pius Ogen, Zakaria Ochieng, Martin Ekitu and Paul Oriemo.
Byamugisha said the officers had been detained, pending prosecution.
“They will be charged with attempted murder by shooting,†he said.
The incident followed a robbery that occurred at Amalaka trading centre on Sunday night.
The suspects, Peter Othao and Kaloli Owor, reportedly broke into Gonga Othieno’s shop and made off with sh180,000 and some items.
The following morning, residents and local council authorities mounted a search around the village and apprehended the suspects.
The crowd is said to have collected the duo from their homes before herding them to the trading centre where they planned to lynch them.
However, the Police swung into action quickly and rescued the suspects.
Stella Akeko, a senior nursing officer at Tororo Hospital, said Ochwo was injured on the ankle, while Abo had a bullet wound on her leg.
The other victims sustained bullet wounds on the thighs.
Four people sustained bullet wounds when Police officers opened fire to disperse a mob in Tororo district.
The mob, armed with pangas, sticks and stones, charged at the Police who tried to stop them from lynching two suspected robbers in Amalaka in Mulanda sub-county, prompting the shoot-out.
The injured, Peter Ochwo, Fifa Abo Jono, Michael Sande and Christopher Owor, were rushed to Tororo Hospital.
The district Police boss, Joseph Engwedu, described the incident as unfortunate.
“My appeal to the public is to cooperate with the Police in the fight against crime,†he said.
The district crime chief, Noah Byamugisha, said the four officers involved in the incident were attached to Mulanda Police Post.
They are Pius Ogen, Zakaria Ochieng, Martin Ekitu and Paul Oriemo.
Byamugisha said the officers had been detained, pending prosecution.
“They will be charged with attempted murder by shooting,†he said.
The incident followed a robbery that occurred at Amalaka trading centre on Sunday night.
The suspects, Peter Othao and Kaloli Owor, reportedly broke into Gonga Othieno’s shop and made off with sh180,000 and some items.
The following morning, residents and local council authorities mounted a search around the village and apprehended the suspects.
The crowd is said to have collected the duo from their homes before herding them to the trading centre where they planned to lynch them.
However, the Police swung into action quickly and rescued the suspects.
Stella Akeko, a senior nursing officer at Tororo Hospital, said Ochwo was injured on the ankle, while Abo had a bullet wound on her leg.
The other victims sustained bullet wounds on the thighs.