Police Arrest 5 After Foiled Attempt to Sneak Explosives into Uganda

Police has arrested five people following an incident in which a woman was intercepted attempting to sneak in an assortment of guns and live ammunition into Uganda at the Bibia border post with South Sudan.

Police say that the woman identified as Flavia Aketch, 42, a resident of Kampala was arrested on Wednesday after she was found carrying bags full of assortment of explosives.

The bag contained 13 Submachine Gun (SMG) magazines with 390 rounds of ammunition, 348 PK lose ammunition, 2 pistols, 3 rounds of ammunition and 2 hand made pouches.

A statement released  by Police spokesperson, SSP Emilian Kayima on Thursday says that the explosives were found concealed in a Toyota Noah vehicle, Reg No. UAP 771K whose driver has been identified as Vincent Otema.

Aketch has been working in Juba, South Sudan as a casual worker, according to preliminary investigations by Police.

“The owner and prime suspect had cleverly evaded the checkpoint by hiring a boda boda Reg No. UDK 242A,” Kayima said.

Both Otema and the boda boda rider have since been apprehended. Others who were arrested for aiding the process of sneaking the explosives and guns into the border are: 32-year-old Ronald Nadome and 18-year-old Muzamiru Faiza.

However, a military source at Bibia told SoftPower News that the suspects who were travelling in a Noah vehicle were intercepted by a CMI operative, a one Corporal Kisembo, before handing the suspects to Police. Cpl Kisembo is one of the CMI operatives deployed to reinforce enforcement officers of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

The soldier acted on a tip that some people were trying to sneak the explosives into the country.

“Police shall continue to strengthen our birds security in the fight against these crimes which include proliferation of small arms and light weapons,” Police said in its statement.

The public has been urged to be vigilant and to report suspicious characters and items.