Oyam Police hunt for suspects who fled with gun

PIC: Police officer from the Canine department being shown how the suspects moved. (Credit: Hudson Apunyo)

ARMED ROBBERY

OYAM- Police in Oyam are still hunting for two suspects who a week ago grabbed a gun from a Police guard and escaped with it. 

The Regional Police Commander (RPC) North Kyoga, John Peter Ematu, said they are still searching for the two suspects who are said to have crossed to Nwoya district. 

On July 1, at around 6:00pm, Robert Atim, 38, Bernard Ochan, 30, all Lango by tribe, residents of Acimi Village, Acimi Parish, Myene sub-county in Oyam district, who were being held at Oyam CPS Cells on alleged aggravated escaped after grabbing a gun from the cell guard.

The duo grabbed the gun No. UG POL 564804 28-24076, hit the cell guard, Daniel Aluku, with the gun barrel and disappeared.

The regional Police spokesperson, David Ongom, said the duo was scheduled to appear in court the following day on charges of aggravated robbery.

"They are still at large, but have been charged with robbery and escape from lawful custody," Ongom said. 

He said the Police guard, Daniel Aluku, has been charged with aiding a suspect to escape from lawful.

This is not the first Police gun lost to thugs in the region. Several guns have been lost to thugs while others hired to thugs by members of the force in the region and used by thugs to terrorise people. 

Last January, a Police gun UG POL 563009827 was stolen from Starch Factory Police Post in Adyel Division and used in many incidents before it was recovered abandoned near a crime scene. A case of theft of a gun has been opened.

The gun was used to kill two people, one of them a mobile money vendor in Ayago trading centre on March 13, 2018 where sh1.5m was also robbed.