I Saw Opoka In The Bush â€" LRA Commander
Dec 06, 2002
A rebel commander captured by the UPDF recently said last week that self-styled Major James Opoka is hiding in Pader district.
By Ray Olweny and Wokorach-Oboi in Pader
A rebel commander captured by the UPDF recently said last week that self-styled Major James Opoka is hiding in Pader district.
Capt. Moses Tabuley (not Col. Charles Tabuley) said, “I met him face-to-face at Angagura, Atanga sub-county in Aruu county.â€
Tabuley said Opoka was in the company of the Lord’s Resistance Army chief political commissar, Sam Otto Kollo, the commander of the so-called Sinia Brigade, Lt. Col. Lapaicho, Nyeko Yadin Tolbert and Lt. Col Abudema.
Poring over the army-supplied photo of Opoka published in Sunday Vision on December 1, Tabuley exclaimed, “This is Opoka. There is no doubt about it. This is the real Opoka. I know him because I have been with him in the bush.†Tabuley was speaking in Luo while pointing at the picture.
The battle-hardened Tabuley said he fought alongside rebel chief Joseph Kony for 10 years since the rebels abducted him from Kitgum High school where he was in S2. He spoke to The New Vision in an interview at the 5th Division headquarters at Achol-Pii, Pader on December 3.
Tabuley said he last met Opoka’s group on November 28 at Angagura, 30 miles on the Gulu-Kitgum Road. He said the rebels were settled at the confluence of River Aswa and Pager in Aswa ranch.
The UPDF recently said Opoka, a former political assistant to exiled presidential candidate Dr. Col. Kizza Besigye, is trapped in the jungles of Pader.
The deputy 5th Division chief, Clovis Kalyebara, said Tabuley was captured together with 16 combatants during a fierce battle with the UPDF at Abilonino in Lapono sub-county, Agago county, Pader.
He named some of them as Regimental Sgt. and Warrant Officer Class 1, Albert Olobo Ocaya, Richard Okidi Kadenge and Sam Akoko Tonny.
Meanwhile, the UPDF killed four rebels in Okwang sub-county, Otuke, on Monday, security sources said, reports Justin Moro in Gulu.
The sources said the rebels earlier that day killed two people near Lukee River bridge at the Pader district border and abducted an unspecified number of people whom they forced to carry their loot. The captives were rescued by the UPDF.
A resident who fled to Lira town said the UPDF killed four LRA rebels and rescued six captives.
Ends
A rebel commander captured by the UPDF recently said last week that self-styled Major James Opoka is hiding in Pader district.
Capt. Moses Tabuley (not Col. Charles Tabuley) said, “I met him face-to-face at Angagura, Atanga sub-county in Aruu county.â€
Tabuley said Opoka was in the company of the Lord’s Resistance Army chief political commissar, Sam Otto Kollo, the commander of the so-called Sinia Brigade, Lt. Col. Lapaicho, Nyeko Yadin Tolbert and Lt. Col Abudema.
Poring over the army-supplied photo of Opoka published in Sunday Vision on December 1, Tabuley exclaimed, “This is Opoka. There is no doubt about it. This is the real Opoka. I know him because I have been with him in the bush.†Tabuley was speaking in Luo while pointing at the picture.
The battle-hardened Tabuley said he fought alongside rebel chief Joseph Kony for 10 years since the rebels abducted him from Kitgum High school where he was in S2. He spoke to The New Vision in an interview at the 5th Division headquarters at Achol-Pii, Pader on December 3.
Tabuley said he last met Opoka’s group on November 28 at Angagura, 30 miles on the Gulu-Kitgum Road. He said the rebels were settled at the confluence of River Aswa and Pager in Aswa ranch.
The UPDF recently said Opoka, a former political assistant to exiled presidential candidate Dr. Col. Kizza Besigye, is trapped in the jungles of Pader.
The deputy 5th Division chief, Clovis Kalyebara, said Tabuley was captured together with 16 combatants during a fierce battle with the UPDF at Abilonino in Lapono sub-county, Agago county, Pader.
He named some of them as Regimental Sgt. and Warrant Officer Class 1, Albert Olobo Ocaya, Richard Okidi Kadenge and Sam Akoko Tonny.
Meanwhile, the UPDF killed four rebels in Okwang sub-county, Otuke, on Monday, security sources said, reports Justin Moro in Gulu.
The sources said the rebels earlier that day killed two people near Lukee River bridge at the Pader district border and abducted an unspecified number of people whom they forced to carry their loot. The captives were rescued by the UPDF.
A resident who fled to Lira town said the UPDF killed four LRA rebels and rescued six captives.
Ends