Police hands over two congolese soldiers to UPDF

Buliisa, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Police handed over two armed Congolese soldiers who were arrested on Lake Albert to Uganda Peoples Defense Forces-UPDF. They are Mouli Mweni and Patrick Njangu Bukamba, both attached to Mahagi Port Bunia district in Ituri Province in the Eastern Democratic of Congo. 

The Congolese soldiers were arrested on Friday night last week while robbing Ugandan fishermen of their boats, nets and boat Engines near Bugoigo landing site in Buliisa district and Dei in Pakwach district. They were found in possession of two Submachine guns registration number 3135625545 and 19628163 with 30 rounds of ammunition each.  

The Congolese soldiers were arrested on a tip-off from local fishermen. They were immediately whisked off to Buliisa Central Police station where they have been in detention since then.  Some of their colleagues managed to flee back to the Democratic Republic of Congo with over ten boat engines they robbed from Ugandan fishermen.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police spokesperson told Uganda Radio Network on Monday that police have since handed over the suspects to the UPDF 303 Brigade for further interrogations. 

Attacks on Ugandan fishermen by Congolese Militiamen have been rampant since February 2018. Dozens of Ugandan fishermen have lost their fishing gear including boats, nets, boat engines, hooks and money to the Congolese militiamen in the past two years.  After robbing the fishing gear, the militiamen demand payment to return them.    

In April 2020, two suspected Congolese militiamen were gunned down by Uganda Peoples Defense Forces-UPDF Soldiers on Lake Albert in Hoima district.  The duo was killed in a gunfire exchange with UPDF soldiers. Five other militiamen were arrested by the UPDF while on the lake.

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