Suspected LRA impostors held
Jul 30, 2008
Three suspected LRA impostors have been arrested in Gulu district, Chris Ocowun reports. The UPDF 4th Division intelligence officer, Maj. Tingira Irumba, identified them as Collins Otunu alias Lalango, Charles Kibwola and Walter Onen-Ngora.
Three suspected LRA impostors have been arrested in Gulu district, Chris Ocowun reports. The UPDF 4th Division intelligence officer, Maj. Tingira Irumba, identified them as Collins Otunu alias Lalango, Charles Kibwola and Walter Onen-Ngora.
Otunu is accused of posing as an LRA mediator, Kibwola was allegedly masquerading as Brig. Abudema and Onen-Ngora posed as Capt. Matata Odong, who died years ago.
Otunu is alleged to have told the security agencies in the district that a group of LRA rebels, under the command of Brig. Abudema and Capt Matata, were at the Uganda-Sudan border ready to surrender but wanted money for food, drugs and airtime.
He allegedly called Gulu Woman MP Betty Aol Ocan, saying the rebels wanted to meet First Lady Janet Museveni and defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa so that they could abandon rebellion.
But Otunu’s luck ran out when he was arrested at the home of the Gulu district secretary for community development, Santa Oketta, where he had gone to collect money.
The regional army spokesman, Capt. Ronald Kakurungu, paraded Otunu, Kibwola and Onen-Ngora before journalists on Monday.
He said Otunu was a porridge-dealer, Onen-Ngora, a tailor, while Kibwola was a bodaboda cyclist.
The three men were based at Awer IDP camp, Lamogi sub-county, Amuru district, Kakurungu added.
Otunu is said to have confessed that he was driven by poverty to conceive the dubious deal so as to raise money to start a brick-laying project in Amuru town.
The acting district commissioner, Milton Odongo, said the suspects were trying to exploit the Government’s initiative to end the war in the north.
“They targeted influential people like Mrs. Museveni and Nankabirwa. They also called Aol demanding to meet former LRA commander Col. Opio Makasi, who lives in Kampala,†Odongo added.
He appealed to the public to be careful about conmen.Peace talks between the Government and the rebels to end the 20-year-long war hit a snag in April.
However, rebel activity has reduced significantly in northern Uganda. Many who had fled the area have now returned home.
Otunu is accused of posing as an LRA mediator, Kibwola was allegedly masquerading as Brig. Abudema and Onen-Ngora posed as Capt. Matata Odong, who died years ago.
Otunu is alleged to have told the security agencies in the district that a group of LRA rebels, under the command of Brig. Abudema and Capt Matata, were at the Uganda-Sudan border ready to surrender but wanted money for food, drugs and airtime.
He allegedly called Gulu Woman MP Betty Aol Ocan, saying the rebels wanted to meet First Lady Janet Museveni and defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa so that they could abandon rebellion.
But Otunu’s luck ran out when he was arrested at the home of the Gulu district secretary for community development, Santa Oketta, where he had gone to collect money.
The regional army spokesman, Capt. Ronald Kakurungu, paraded Otunu, Kibwola and Onen-Ngora before journalists on Monday.
He said Otunu was a porridge-dealer, Onen-Ngora, a tailor, while Kibwola was a bodaboda cyclist.
The three men were based at Awer IDP camp, Lamogi sub-county, Amuru district, Kakurungu added.
Otunu is said to have confessed that he was driven by poverty to conceive the dubious deal so as to raise money to start a brick-laying project in Amuru town.
The acting district commissioner, Milton Odongo, said the suspects were trying to exploit the Government’s initiative to end the war in the north.
“They targeted influential people like Mrs. Museveni and Nankabirwa. They also called Aol demanding to meet former LRA commander Col. Opio Makasi, who lives in Kampala,†Odongo added.
He appealed to the public to be careful about conmen.Peace talks between the Government and the rebels to end the 20-year-long war hit a snag in April.
However, rebel activity has reduced significantly in northern Uganda. Many who had fled the area have now returned home.