UPDF soldier, 10 others arrested for alleged smuggling

Amuru, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Ten people and a Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) soldier have been arrested for alleged smuggling at Elegu, Uganda-South Sudan border post in Amuru District. 

Seven of the suspects were on Saturday reportedly sneaking into Uganda from South Sudan with the help of truck drivers under the pretext of being co-drivers and conductors while the four others including the UPDF soldier were attempting to smuggle illicit drugs into South Sudan. 

The suspects are Ibra Katongole, 25, a resident of Bukomansimbi; Yunus Mukoda, 35, from Konyokonyo Market in Juba and 28-year-old Suleiman Kalonda from Masaka Municipality.

Others include Abdallah Bate, a driver of Fusu Truck registration number UBB 645, a resident of Kangulumira in Kayunga district; Samuel Samara, 33, an Eritrean national and resident of Bukasa in Wakiso district; Levi Bedson Kyampeire, 25, of Mulligan in Kabale and Edward Mwangua Omuaka, Kenyan national and also a driver of truck registration number UAT 296E/ZE7618.

Aswa River Region Police Spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema says that preliminary investigations fault Mwangua Omuaka, the Kenyan national for smuggling Kyampeire of Kabale.

Okema also divulged that the suspects were charged with negligent act likely to spread infection of disease contrary to Penal Code Act Section 171 and disobedience of lawful orders, under case file 03/10/04/20 of Elegu Polices station.

According to Okema, the same night four other suspects who include the soldier were arrested in Elegu Town Council attempting to smuggle illicit narcotic drugs in UBG 457T white Canter and UBG 364S blue Isuzu trucks en route to South Sudan capital, Juba.  

Meanwhile, the four suspects included RA 197606 Pte Abel Kajuna, soldier attached to Bombo army headquarters; George Kadudu, 32, and Ivan Lubowa, 42, both residents of Kasenge in Wakiso district as well as Muzamil Owori, 25, a resident of Makindye Division in Kampala.

They are being detained at Elegu Police Station charged with the same offence of negligent act likely to spread infection of disease contrary to Penal Code Act Section 171 vide SD 04/11/04/20. Their vehicles were all impounded and parked at Elegu Police Station pending further inquiries. 

Last week, Agnes Linda Auma, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner intercepted 35 people who had entered Uganda from South Sudan without clearance. The suspects claimed that they were trapped in war-torn South Sudan and paid truck drivers to smuggle them into Uganda.  

On March 22, Ugandan authorities temporarily closed the Nimule -Elegu border following the outbreak of pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

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