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Lamwo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | South Sudanese authorities have handed back eight head of cattle looted by cattle rustlers from local farmers in the Northern Uganda District of Lamwo.
A five-member delegation of security personnel from South Sudan’s Torit state accompanied by political and cultural leaders handed the animals to Lamwo district leaders at Apiriti border point in Madi-Opei sub-county on Sunday.
The recovered animals were part of the 18 that were stolen on August 27 from farmers in Lupilingi Parish, Agoro sub-county by armed cattle rustlers.
Lamwo Resident District Commissioner James Nabinson Kidega told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Monday that the animals were tracked in Ikotos County by South Sudan army and police personnel on their request following their looting last month.
Kidega says the South Sudan officials have agreed to partner with Lamwo district authorities in combating cattle theft that has been soiling South Sudan’s name for a while. He notes that they have also agreed on strategies of ensuring that the two teams strengthen their networks in curtailing cross border theft.
Kidega says the animals will be handed back to their rightful owners in Agoro sub-county today after proper verification.
Present at the handover among the South Sudan delegation from Torit state was Chief Inspector Of Police Mathew Ochaya, Acting Director of Police Caesar Irwang Jon, Brig Jimmy Odongi and Col. Santo Loyereng all from the Sudan People Liberation Army [SPLA-IO].
Fifth Infantry Division Spokesperson, Lt Hassan Kato says the retrieved animals are the fruit of a bilateral agreement signed between the governments of South Sudan and Uganda last year on joint collaboration to fight cattle rustling.
He notes that the army last month recovered ten of the stolen animals before the rustlers crossed with them into South Sudan. Late last month, Uganda People’s Defense Forces soldiers shot dead an armed suspected cattle rustler in Obere village, Ngacino Parish in Agoro Sub-county in a foiled cattle robbery.
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