UPDF soldier, civilian arrested over stealing hospital iron sheets
Bukedi South Regional Police spokesperson, IP Moses Mugwe. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- According to police, the soldier is attached to the UPDF engineering brigade which is currently undertaking the renovation works at the health facility.
Police in Butaleja District have arrested a UPDF soldier and a civilian over stealing iron sheets of Busolwe General Hospital.
The Bukedi South Regional Police spokesperson, IP Moses Mugwe, confirmed the arrests on Thursday.
“One UPDF officer attached to the engineering brigade was arrested on spot transporting the iron sheets,” he disclosed.
According to police, the soldier is attached to the UPDF engineering brigade which is currently undertaking the renovation works at the health facility.
This publication understands that the two suspects were arrested after police launched an operation against theft of iron sheets following complaints from the hospital leaders.
The Busolwe General Hospital board chairperson, Mr James Wire said: “They (suspects) came with a truck and started loading the iron sheets that had been removed from the roof of the staff residences,”Mr Wire said.
In order to get the culprits, police say they planted informers in the hospital to spy on the workers through a special operation and investigation headed by the Officer-In-Charge of Criminal Investigations Department in the district, ASP Peter Baitera Muhanuzi.
Three days later, the suspects were arrested in connection with stealing about 100 iron sheets.
Lt Ronald Musasira, the head of the engineering brigade at the facility also confirmed the arrest but disowned the suspect.
“The people who stole the iron sheets are not staff of UPDF. They are civilians working with us. They came looking for the jobs and we employed them,” Lt Nasasira said.
UPDF 3rd division spokesperson Major Isaac Oware told journalists that they have started investigations into the matter.
“If the suspects are found guilty they will be arraigned in courts of law,” Major Oware said.
Butaleja District handed over the construction of new staff houses in Busolwe Hospital to the UPDF engineering brigade on March 28, 2022 and the projected is estimated to Shs5 billion.
