Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner told Uganda Radio Network that investigation points to a possible connivance between security personnel and URA enforcement teams who were guarding the bags of cement.
The Police in Amuru district have arrested two suspects in connection with the theft of about 200 bags of cement from a truck that overturned along the Gulu-Elegu Highway.
The truck reportedly overturned on June 10 at about 5 pm in Pawel Langeta village in Atiak Sub-county while transporting bags of cement destined for the South Sudanese capital, Juba. According to police reports, following the incident, a team of security from the Integrated Highway Police from the Atiak Field Force Unit (FFU) Detach personnel were dispatched to the scene.
The security personnel were reportedly reinforced by a team from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Enforcement officers to guard both the overturned vehicle and the bags of cement.
Reports Uganda Radio Network obtained indicate that at about 8 pm, the FFU police officers left the accident scene for supper, leaving behind Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers. However, while for supper, they got reports that some bags of cement from the scene were being loaded into another truck.
According to police reports, the bags of cement were loaded on a motor vehicle registration UAP 024F Isuzu Tipper blue in colour in the presence of URA enforcement team.
The vehicle reportedly belonged to the Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) of Atiak Subcounty identified as Chandiga George alias Okane 44 years-old.
Security reports also indicate that the driver of the overturned truck participated in the transaction, claiming that he needed some money to eat.
Uganda Radio Network has established that Chandiga reportedly paid two million shillings for 120 bags of cement. Out of the payment, 300,000 shillings was reportedly paid to Police officers who were guarding during the day time, 500,000 shillings paid to the URA Enforcement officers, and 1,2000,000 shillings was given to the driver and his turn man.
Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner, told Uganda Radio Network Wednesday that investigation points to a possible connivance between security personnel and URA enforcement teams who were guarding the bags of cement.
Oceng, however, noted police have arrested so far two individuals as the investigation continues into the matter.
The suspects are George Chandiga alias Okane, 44 years old, the GISO of Atik Sub-county and Mohamad Hassan Farah 33-year-old Kenyan National who drove the ill-fated truck driver. All the suspects are being detained at Atiak Police Station.
Oceng noted that so far, 75 bags of cement have been recovered from the suspect while the hunt to recover more is still ongoing.
The vehicle used for transporting the bags of cement has also been detained by the police at Atiak Police station pending further investigation according to security personnel.
Bureau Chief, West Acholi
