Africa-Press – Uganda. Authorities in Puranga Town Council in Pader District have launched an operation to weed out armed criminal gangs that have for more than four months been terrorising locals in the area.
On Monday, Mr Francis Ojok, the Puranga Town Council chairperson, said several people have been arrested in connection with the vice.
“Some of them have been so far arrested after operations held in the area, and we are optimistic that all of them will be brought to book,” Mr Ojok said.
The Daily Monitor established that the criminals, armed with machetes (pangas), knives, nails, master keys and chains are giving residents sleepless nights, especially at Cuk Adek, a local market operating biweekly.
The thugs are involved in waylaying and assaulting community members, robbery, raping women and girls, house break-ins and fighting, according to leaders.
In a directive to police last week, Mr Milton Odongo, the Pader Resident District Commissioner, ordered police to urgently investigate and apprehended these gangs.
“Sort out the above criminals from the district within one week. This is a serious security threat to the freedom of the community,” he said.
This newspaper also established that three criminal cases had been filed at Puranga Police Station against alleged members of the gang under SD REF 06/10/08/2023 of robbery and another of malicious damage.
In the letter dated September 9, 2023, Mr Odongo gave the criminals a one-week ultimatum to surrender to authorities and also asked police to carry out community policing in Puranga Sub-county involving all LCs, the youth and general public in the area.
“The criminals are also given one week to surrender to authorities or security before they are crashed. Attached is the list of the criminal gangs and their commanders for your immediate action,” he wrote.
Previously
Relatedly, police bust a criminal gang that had been terrorising travellers in Rubaga and Kampala Central divisions last month.
The gang, who are armed with machetes, had been robbing travellers on major roads in the two divisions. The most affected roads included Ring Road, Mackay Road, Nateete and parts of Rubaga.
According to the police, the gang had been operating very early in the morning and late in the evening, targeting people going to and returning from work.
Police said although they received several reports about the gang, they hadn’t been successful in tracking them down for more thanfive months until then.
In an interview with Daily Monitor, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said they used Crime Intelligence Units to track down the gang.
He said eight suspects had been arrested.
“They were arrested in Kawempe Division where they have been residing. We also recovered the machetes and motorcycles they have been using in the violent robberies,” Mr Onyango said.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
