Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police spokesperson told Uganda Radio Network on Monday that 27 out of the 42 suspects were released on police bond over the weekend as per the advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions-DPP.
Twenty-seven out of the 42 suspects arrested over tribal clashes between the Lugbara and Lango
tribesmen that resulted in the death of three people in Kiryandongo district
are out on police bond. The suspects who are from the Lango community were
arrested on Thursday and Friday last week from various parts of Kiryandongo
district.
The attack
took place at Opeche village in Karuma town Council. The suspects are accused
of attacking and hacking to death Yasin Bakati, Rosa Afiyako and Safi Ayumani,
all Lugbaras and residents of Opeche cell Karuma town Council in Kiryandongo
district.
They also critically injured Safina Chandiru who was first admitted with severe
wounds at Kiryandongo General Hospital before she was transferred to Arua
Regional Referral hospital for specialized medical attention. Chandiru sustained
deep cuts on the head, face and both hands and stomach.
They accused the deceased persons of being behind the disappearance and murder
of their young brother identified as Innocent Opio, who went missing on
February 4, 2021. His lifeless body was found floating on river Karuma near the
site of Karuma Hydro Power Dam on February 9, 2021.
After retrieving the body, his relatives attacked the deceased persons from the
Lugbara community accusing them of being behind Opio’s death. After hacking the
trio to death, the attackers varnished to an unknown destination.
A team of
security officers comprising police and Uganda People’s Defense Forces UPDF
soldiers hunted for the suspects and managed to apprehend the 42 people
who participated in the trio’s attack. The suspects were immediately whisked
off to Kiryandongo central police station.
Julius
Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police spokesperson told Uganda Radio Network on
Monday that 27 out of the 42 suspects were released on police bond over the
the weekend as per the advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions-DPP. He says
the remaining fifteen suspects who are believed to be the ring leaders of the
tribal clashes will be produced before the court on Tuesday because their files are
ready.
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According to
Hakiza, calm has returned between the two tribes following various community
policing programs conducted by the police, adding that they are closely
monitoring the situation. Police have remained silent on the identity of the
suspects in custody and those out on bail.
