Guns land rustlers in army court, then prison
Mr Micheal Longole, the Karamoja Regional Police Spokesperson (L), and Maj Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd Division spokesman show the two recovered guns that Karimojong rustlers took from Police. Photo | Steven Ariong
What you need to know:
- The rustlers were convicted last Thursday at Moroto UPDF 3rd Division headquarters for illegal possession of firearms after they pleaded guilty to the crimes.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) 3rd Division Court Martial sitting in Moroto has handed various sentences to 27 Karimojong rustlers who were arrested from different districts.
The rustlers were convicted last Thursday at Moroto UPDF 3rd Division headquarters for illegal possession of firearms after they pleaded guilty to the crimes.
The prosecution led by Maj Jeff Kennedy Ringakech told the court that the accused persons committed the crimes on various days.
“This honourable court is mandated to protect people and their properties by punishing such armed criminals who have turned guns into businesses to kill and rob peoples’ property,” he said.
In his ruling, the 3rd Division Court Martial chairperson, Col Francis Kateraho, said: “This court jointly sentences you to 10 years each to act as a deterrence and signal to other ill-intended individuals of the dangers associated with illegal possession of fire arms”.
Col Kateraho said the convicts have the right to appeal within 14 days if they are not satisfied with his ruling.
Mr Betty Angolere, one of the residents, who attended the court martial, said those convicted will come out changed persons.
Karimojong cattle rustlers before the army court-martial sitting in Moroto. Photo | Steven Ariong
Maj Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson, said the tendencies of illegal possession of fire arms and gun violence are so common in Karamoja, yet guns are a monopoly of defence forces.
“So, it’s prudent to prosecute these criminals to enhance peace and foster development,” he said.
Leader killed
Meanwhile, the joint security forces last week gunned down the vice chairperson of Napumpum Sub-county in Kotido District.
Mr Aped Longole was shot dead last Thursday night as he was leading a team of cattle rustlers, who were driving raided animals from Apeitolim Sub-county in Napak District, towards Kotido.
Maj Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd Division spokesperson, confirmed the death of the vice chairperson and accused him and others of theft of animals.
He said they were killed in an ambush staged by the joint forces of police and the army in Abim District.
“They succeeded in raiding animals from Napak and as they were heading to Kotido via Abim, they landed in our ambush and we killed two warriors that included the sub-county vice chairperson,” he said.
According to Maj Oware, the vice chairperson was armed.
Mr Paul Komol Kacheri, the district chairperson of Kotido, regretted the incident and wondered how leaders who are supposed to fight cattle rustling were carrying out the raids.
