Pakwach police detain OC over office break-in, theft of motorcycle and exhibits

Pakwach, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Pakwach district have arrested and detained their own Officer-in-Charge of Dei police post in Panyimur sub county over an office break-in, robbery and disappearance of equipment and exhibits.

Assistant Inspector of Police Samson Odongo, the OC of Dei police post was picked up on Sunday after some unknown persons broke into the police post and took away a police  motorcycle registration number UP 8313, a fuel tank and some exhibits like mattresses that had been kept in the office.

According to information obtained from the police in Pakwach, AIP Odongo who uses the motorcycle and keeps the keys to the office, on Saturday parked the motorcycle and locked the office only to wake up on Sunday and declare that the office door was open with the motorcycle, exhibits and a fuel tank for keeping fuel for the police missing.

Dei police post is located close to Panyimur ferry landing site and at the border with DR Congo, and often attracts many Congolese who come to the Ugandan side in Dei and Panyimur to buy and sell merchandize.

Josephine Angucia, the police spokesperson for W. Nile confirms the detention of Samson Odongo saying he will help police with investigations into the office break-in and disappearance of the motorcycle and exhibits of crime kept in the office.

According to Angucia, police suspects the motorcycle and the exhibit items might have already found their way into the neighbouring DR Congo, since the police post is located less than 50 meters from the Uganda-DR Congo border.

According to confidential sources within the police circles, the thugs now at large are believed to have connived with the officer to break into the office and steal the motorcycle and other items.

Police has opened a General Inquiry File into the incident and also appeals to the public to help police in recovery of the items.

A 2019, Albertine Watchdog Research revealed that police at Dei post were involved in soliciting and accepting bribes from individuals in exchange for letting them conduct illegal businesses around including gambling, selling narcotics in the community especially in areas of Dei, Panyigoro, Boro, and Kayonga.

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