Petrol station manager shot dead in Bukedea robbery, soldier arrested
Bukedea Petro City station is cordoned off.
What you need to know:
- Security agencies have reported an increase in robberies at petrol stations in which several guards have been killed by the criminals, who later make off with cash and property worth millions of shillings
Police in Bukedea District in eastern Uganda have arrested a Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier and hunting for more suspected armed robbers who raided Bukedea Petro City filling station on Sunday night and shot one person dead in an attack that left two others nursing bullets wounds.
Police identified the deceased only as Dan Esipan, the station manager.
The security guard and a pump attendant are said to have been overpowered by the robbers who raided the filling station at around 9pm when most businesses in the neighbourhood had closed shop and people retired home to sleep.
The East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Oscar Gregg Ageca said Dan died on the way to Mbale regional referral hospital.
“The territorial police in Bukedea District registered a case of aggravated robbery of mobile phones, money and murder at Bukedea petro city petrol filling station where three people were shot at around 9pm vide Case Ref. 34/25/9/2022 of Bukedea Central Police station,” he said.
Police said the gun used to shoot Esipan and others was snatched from the security guard deployed at the premises.
Mr Ageca said the robbers abandoned the gun at the scene of crime.
Mr Ageca said the guard and pump attendant are currently admitted at Mbale regional referral hospital.
“We immediately responded to the incident, rushed the three victims to Bukedea health center for first aid before they were later referred to Mbale regional referral Hospital for better medication, unfortunately Dan, the manager of the petrol station died on the way to the hospital,”he said.
According to Ageca, the police have arrested a soldier, Lawrence Otingole of the 41st Battalion in Moroto.
“We ask and seek for calm as investigations are underway and ask the public not to try and access the incident scene as it is cordoned off and access limited to those concerned with the investigative process”, he said.
Security agencies have reported an increase in robberies at petrol stations in which several guards have been killed by the criminals, who later make off with cash and property worth millions of shillings.
More than 20 attacks on petrol stations have been recorded across the country since the year began.
On September 4, 2022 police in Kampala said they had killed a security guard attached to Saracen Uganda who was allegedly attempting to rob AS Energy petrol station at Kijabijjo village, Kira Municipality in Wakiso District where he had been deployed.
On August 19, 2022, two men armed with a pistol are said to have raided Nesta Petrol station in Lusaze in Rubaga Division, Kampala city and killed a security guard after disgusting as clients. They stole the guard's gun with five rounds of ammunition.
One person was killed on March 7, 2022 and Shs34 million stolen in separate robberies at two pump fuel stations in Wakiso district. The deceased was identified as Victor Natumanya, a pump attendant at Ideal Energy petrol station found in Bulenga, Wakiso district.
Three days before, a similar robbery had taken place at Horse Fuel station Naluvule-Wakiso involving a security guard deployed at the station. The security guard only identified as Musa from Tight security group reportedly robbed Shs28 million from the station after placing the pump attendants at gunpoint at around 3:00 am and varnished with the money and the gun.
