IGP’s guard loses pistol

In Summary

Police in Kumi District are holding Mr John Omaido, the LC3 chairperson of Ngora Urban Council, to help with investigations into the theft of a pistol from the Inspector General of Police’s bodyguard. The gun was stolen from the bodyguard at the weekend

Kumi

Police in Kumi District are holding Mr John Omaido, the LC3 chairperson of Ngora Urban Council, to help with investigations into the theft of a pistol from the Inspector General of Police’s bodyguard.

Mr Omaido was arrested and detained on Sunday. Police sources said the pistol was stolen from Gen Kale Kayihura’s bodyguard when he had gone to attend a wedding in Ngora at the weekend and the fire arm was suspected to be in Mr Omaido’s possession.

Kumi District police commander Obingu Onzi confirmed the arrest, but he declined to divulge the details, saying they were so sensitive. “I cannot comment. It is beyond me,” Mr Onzi said.

A source said Mr Omaido was arrested in a bar in Kumi where he was having social evening. The police spokesperson of East Kyoga, Mr Juma Hassan Nyene, said he was yet to receive details of the matter from the Kumi and Ngora district police commanders. “I am trying to call the DPC Ngora but he isn’t answering calls. I am also trying to get to the other respective officers in Kumi but all their known numbers are off,” Mr Nyene said.

Details of the fire arm could not be established, but it has since emerged that no bullet from the pistol had been fired. Cases of police officers losing guns are on the increase. In a related incident, thugs recently attacked Mpala Police Post on Entebbe Road and made off with a rifle.

In another case, a police officer manning a Ngobe police post in Kajjansi at night was recently attacked by people armed with a machete and cut him several times and made off his gun. The gun was recovered in foiled robbery in Kabarole District.

The foiled robbery occurred on June 20, 2012 when armed men attacked Martin Ekome of Bunamwaya Parish and robbed him of Shs1.7m. They also robbed his neighbours of Shs6.9m. Similar cases were registered in Lubowa, Nalumunye and Ndejje-Lubugumu on Entebbe Road.