Security recovers war materials in Kole, Oyam

Aug 26, 2013

Security organs in Lira have recovered government stores including six pairs of army uniforms, and one sub machine gun loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition.

By Bonney Odongo and Abel Okello

Security organs in Lira have recovered government stores including six pairs of army uniforms, and one sub machine gun loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition.

The AK 47, number 48003446 loaded with 19 rounds of ammunitions was voluntarily handed over to the army by a former Amuka militia who during demobilisation time never returned the gun to the army and instead preferred kept it for personal use.

The former militia whose identity could not be disclosed for security reasons is a resident of Ouka Village, Eastern Ward B in Kole Town Council, the 5th Division Spokesperson, Lt. Telesphor Turyamanya, said on Monday.

He said though they suspect that the dissident militia could have been using the gun to rob people at night, he was not arrested since he voluntarily handed it back.

Turyamanya noted that some of the pairs of uniforms were recovered from the homes of army deserters in Abok Sub County, Oyam district following a tipoff by residents who noticed them adorned in them at night.

The owners, who included a retired soldier who returned from the Somalia mission, fled in disarray after realising that information of their illegal possession of the army uniforms had leaked to security.

“It is an offence for one to desert with army uniforms or weapons but since this gun was handed over voluntarily, we decided to set him free and I am still urging those who are keeping illegal guns to return them because we shall not prosecute them,” he said.

Captain David Omagor, the 5th Division Intelligence Officer, warned those still keeping illegal guns to return them willfully, saying if recovered forcefully, they would face the wrath of the law.

Omagor said northern Uganda is now peaceful except some few cases of animal theft in Abim and Kabong districts by suspected Karimojong warriors from Kotido district.

He said the warriors have been using guns, bows and arrows to steal people’s animals at night.
 

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