Police in Katakwi District has on Tuesday evening 17th-1-2023 shot at and critically injured 5 people all residents of Olupe village, Ngariam County, Katakwi district who were part of a highly charged mob that was advancing towards Katakwi district police headquarters.
The injured identified as Amodoi Richard, Malinga Joseph, Moru Sam and Oboi Sam who were shot on their buttocks, legs and one sustained injuries on the head were taken to Katakwi main hospital for management and later on transferred to Soroti referral Hospital.
One of the ring leaders Ojirot Joseph, 22yrs was shot on the leg and detained but later transferred to Katakwi Astu hospital where he is being managed.
The mob that was furious armed with pangas, sticks, knives and stones hoped to set free from katakwi cells 3 suspects who had earlier on been arrested by Soroti regional police on allegations of burning Amanu`s(imorning) home also resident of Olupe and property to ashes also a due to land wrangles.
What exactly is the problem
Overtime, the community in Olupe is accusing Amanu for threatening to evict them from their land and on a sad note they were again being tormented by their perpetrator.
There is case in court between Amanu and the people living in Olupe town board, where he filed complaints of people trespassing on his land threatening to expel them.
It's on that note that the communities are tired of continuous arrests, masterminded by Amanu hence accusing police for collaborating with Amanu to conduct unnecessary arrests on the so called “intruders” on his land.
On the fateful day yesterday, Police team from the regional office rushed and conducted arrests in olupe tho with great resistance from the community managed to arrest three suspects.
The suspects whose names, withheld however were transported to Soroti Regional Police.
The Olupe irate community who could not withstand the torment violently rushed to RDCs office who was out of office on leave, they then rushed to Katakwi police headquarters only to meet resistance as bullets were released to fight off the attackers as they were so violent and heavily armed.
The lcv Katakwi, Geoffrey Omolo has appealed to the community not to take the law into their hands and called for calm.
Omolo also condemned the shooting which was directly to the people.
He also said that police fired bullets because the police headquarters has an armoury which police had to protect from the reach of the already irate civilians which could have maybe worsened the situation.
“sticks and stones, pangas can't fight guns, let's find ways to solve our problems” said Omolo.
BY Richard Onapatum
Posts
0 Comments