Fear in Moroto as unknown gunmen kill resident

The Moroto District Police Commander Abel Barugahare has linked the killing of Napeyok to the arrest of Moru

Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The communities in Moroto continue to live in fear as gunmen continue raiding villages in the town, killing people in what appears to be targeted killings.

On Friday night at around 9:00 pm, a 90-year-old woman was shot four times by unknown gunmen in Katanga, one of the suburbs where most killings by gun have taken place this year.

Already three residents have now been killed by unknown gunmen in the area since the beginning of the year. The increasing incidents of insecurity in the town including Friday night in which Lomuria Napeyok Apoora was shot dead while preparing supper has thrown the community into fear.

Mike Abura, a resident of the area says that the security situation is now at its lowest. He urges the security personnel to step up the night patrols especially in dark spots of town in order to secure the residents. He says the police should partner with the LC 1 of the area to carry out the night patrols in blackspot areas in order to apprehend the suspects.

“We need to change strategy of patrols. I encourage the police to move with some of the residents who know this area better so that we arrest all these suspects,” said Lokoru, the LC 1 Modern Katanga.

The killing comes just days after residents of Katanga arrested Moru, a key suspect in a number of killings in Moroto town. He was arrested at the home of the deceased whose grand daughter (name has been concealed for security reasons) is said to have alerted the community that arrested and handed over Moru, a wanted suspect who has been on the police wanted list.

Paulino Lokorimo, a local leader of the area says it may take long for normalcy to return to the area unless all the group linked to Moru is arrested and charged in courts of law.

He said police should work closely with the community to get these suspects as fast as they can. The Moroto District Police Commander Abel Barugahare has linked the killing of Napeyok to the arrest of Moru.

He says their preliminary investigations show that Napeyok and her family were targeted because the prime suspect in several crimes was arrested at their home after members of the family reported Moru to the community. He has vowed to arrest all those responsible for the murder and bring them to account for their crimes.

“We believe there is a link between Moru and this killing. This is where the suspect was arrested last week and it must be a revenge attack following the arrest of Moru. We are going to interrogate Moru,” said the DPC.

There have been a number of killings in Moroto town including in areas like Kakoliye, Kampswahili Chini and Katamukono among others.

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