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Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Criminal Investigations Directorate-CID has transferred Aruu County MP Samuel Odonga Otto to Gulu city, where he will face charges of having an illegal gun.
Otto was arrested on Tuesday by a team led by CID’s Deputy Director for Anti-Corruption and economic crimes, Francis Olugu and general crimes acting commissioner Topher Gime.
CID spokesperson Charles Twine says that Otto will be arraigned in Gulu court on Friday to face among others offences illegal possession of a firearm, assault and malicious property damage.
Otto had been held at Special Investigations Division –SID in Kireka since his arrest two days ago. Otto’s charges are tracked back in 2019 where he allegedly assaulted a journalist at Pece stadium in Gulu town during a football match between Acholi Province and West Nile.
He was picked from Bomah Hotel in Gulu city. Otto has been in parliament for over 20 years but lost his seat in the January 14th 2021, parliamentary elections. Detectives said he was being tracked in Kampala and Gulu because he allegedly dodged a police bond.
“There was a team tracking him in Kampala and Gulu until he was arrested. He has been dodging coming here until we decided to pick him ourselves. We hope to arraign him before court tomorrow,” a detective said.
A detective added that at the time Otto was found with the gun, he had not renewed his license and that translates into illegal possession of a firearm. Police give guns to civilians who apply to be armed regarding the security threats they are facing.
However, all civilians possessing guns must apply every year to the private security and firearm department at Naguru police headquarters for the renewal of their licenses. It is alleged that Otto had not renewed his license for the gun.
Police’s acting commissioner for private security organization and firearm department Apollo Kateeba revealed that more than 10,000 guns are in the hands of authorized private individuals.
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