Police in Kitgum district is holding seven people suspected of illegal possession of firearms and masterminding a string of murders and robberies in East Acholi districts.
Police says the suspects are linked to the theft of cash from a mobile money agent and several motorcycles in Pader, Agago, Kitgum and Lamwo districts.
The suspects include Betty Lamunu, a prison wardress serving in Kineni Prison in Pader district. She is accused of aiding her son Walter Oryem Okute to run a gang of robbers consisting of six members.
The members include Lawrence Komakech Timkica alias David Lajany, a resident of Ladinge village in Agago district, Tonny Ouma alias MC Tonny, Moses Odongkara alias Laped-wok, Charles Oling Dipoko and Francis Loyang.
Kitgum Resident District Commissioner William Komakech says the suspects have been operating under pseudonyms to evade arrests. He accuses Lamunu of aiding the group in their criminal activities.
Komakech says the group is responsible for the killing and robbing an unspecified amount of cash from Moses Mambe, a mobile money agent at Acholibur trading Centre in Pader district in September this year. He says some of the suspects were picked from Kiryandongo district.
Police used live bullets to arrest Walter Oryem Okute from Ayul C village in Pager division, Kitgum Municipality over the weekend as he attempted to flee at a Police checkpoint. Police later recovered a gun from him and a container of chloroform believed to have been used against his victims.
Henry Kissinger Oryem, the Pager Division Municipal Councillor hailed security for arresting the suspects saying they must thoroughly be investigated. Oryem said they will work with security to weed the division of criminals ahead of the festive season.
