Police officer shoots man in dispute over barmaid 

Katonga regional Police is on the hunt for one of their own who is on the run after he allegedly shot and injured a civilian in a bar fight.

Police Constable Ronald Arijaha, attached to Mamba Police Post in Gomba district, went into hiding on Friday he got into a fight with Jackson Bwandagala, 23, a resident of Mamba village, over a waitress at a bar.

According to the Katonga region Police spokesperson, Joseph Turya, the two men were drinking on Friday night and started exchanging insults after Arijaha accused Bwandagala of flirting with the waitress who he claimed was his girlfriend.

According to the preliminary investigations done by the Police, the two had on several occasions clashed over the same lady.

On the fateful day, the two first exchanged a volley of insults and a fistfight before Arijaha left, only to return with an AK47 rifle and shoot Bwandagala and taking off.

Bwandagala sustained gunshot wounds on his right hand while Arijaha abandoned the rifle in a bush a few kilometres from the scene of the crime where Police recovered it on Saturday.

Bwandagala was first taken to Gombe Hospital for first aid and later referred to Mulago Hospital for further treatment.

Since then, the Police has been searching for Arijaha but the exercise is yet to yield any positive results.

According to Turya, Arijaha is to be charged with attempted murder upon his arrest.