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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two Russians and a Uganda national have been arrested in Kitgum district for violating movement restrictions as part of the preventive measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease pandemic.
William Komakech, the Kitgum Resident District commissioner says the suspects were picked up on Sunday from Orom sub county about 70 kilometers from Kitgum Municipality where they had reportedly gone to explore a new graphite site.
He noted that the Russians were being driven by a Ugandan national using a grey Prado Tx Vehicle registration number UG 2023C purportedly attached to State House.
Komakech says the vehicle had no movement authorization sticker from Ministry of Works and Transport as directed by the president while announcing the nationwide lockdown.
According to Komakech, a background check revealed that the vehicle had private registration number UAU 258Z.
He notes that the Russian suspects were also found in possession of passports, which indicate that they entered Uganda through Entebbe International Airport on March 23rd few hours after the Airport was closed to International passenger flights.
Komakech says that they have commenced investigations to establish who the suspects are, their motive of visiting Kitgum district and whether the vehicle genuinely belongs to State House.
Robert Oken, the Officer in Charge of criminal Investigation at Kitgum Central Police Station, says the suspects are currently at their detention facility charged with disobedience of lawful order.
Oken says the suspects were subjected to test for Covid-19 pending results adding that their body temperature as per yesterday was normal. The vehicle the suspects were using is currently parked at Kitgum central police station.
Early this month, government announced a ban on both private and public transport with the intentions of stopping the spread of Covid19. Government issued vehicle movement stickers for essential workers but restricted their movements to the greater Kampala metropolitan areas.
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