Geoffrey Abigaba, the Lira District Police Commander who explained that the operation will continue up to next year says the suspects would be screened before they are presented before the courts.
Security forces in Lira City has launched
operations to rid Lira City off criminals who are currently disrupting peace
especially during the coming festivities.
The operations started last week following the
increase in number of house break-ins, theft and people being way-laid. It is
also aimed at arresting ring leaders of criminal gangs who could be used by
terrorists to execute their plans.
By weekend, 88 suspects have been arrested from the
areas of Te-atat, Tekulo Ojwina, Obutowelu and Kakoge, all in Lira City West
Division which is believed to be the hiding place for criminal gangs in Lira City.
Geoffrey Abigaba, the Lira District Police Commander who
explained that the operation will continue up to next year says the suspects
would be screened and charged before they are paraded before the court of laws.
Eng byte:
//Cue in: “As we are…//
Cue out: ... is the best."//
Abigaba appealed to the business people in Lira city
to be vigilant over their security especially when they have money with them.
“We are encouraging our people to avoid carrying large
sums of money in their pockets or wherever," he said. "If you are carrying money from one
point to another, use alternative means like putting it in to mobile money and
you make the transactions when you reach, that way is safer.”
However, this operation has attracted mixed reaction
from the members of the public including some local council leaders who feel
that they have been left out.
Patrick Ojok, the LC1 chairperson of Wii- gweng
village identifies only a single known thief among the five youths arrested from his
area and as a result, Ojok is worried that the operation, if not done with the support
of the local leaders might have good people arrested instead of the wrong
doers.
Eng/ Luo byte:
//Cue in: “The
ongoing operation…//
Cue out: … get the criminals.”//
//Cue in: “Operation ame tye…//
Cue out: ...timo tim aracu.”//
Geoffrey Owuni, the LCI chairperson of Ojwina Quarters
said the police will only succeed with the operation if the local council
leaders are involved.
Luo byte:
//Cue in: “Wan otye kede…//
Cue out: ...blaming gini otela.”//
Meanwhile, Semmy Okoye, a food vendor at Te-atat is
excited about the operation saying it will get rid of criminals especially
street children who survive by stealing. She however, wants government to
construct a remand home in Lira where these children can be rehabilitated.
She
also wants police to consider opening an outpost in the area because that is
the base of criminal gangs.
