The collaboration between local authorities and the Police resulted in the arrest of a suspected member of a well-known criminal group that had been causing distress among locals and stealing goods from trucks on the Lira-Kamdini highway.
According to William Komakech, the Oyam Resident District Commissioner (RDC), the primary suspect was apprehended in a well-planned operation led by Robert Ekwaro, the LCIII chairperson of Loro Town Council, based on intelligence reports of nocturnal assaults and highway robbery.
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Komakech emphasized the Police’s dedication to thoroughly investigating each incident to maintain peace in the area. The detained suspect, identified as Emmanuel Omiya, is currently held at Oyam Central Police Station and will face multiple charges, including aggravated robbery, in court. Komakech pledged to continue these operations to dismantle organized criminal gangs.
Additionally, Robert Ekwaro, the chairman of Loro Town Council, reported that the suspect was found in possession of various items such as cement and lime, which the gang had stolen from trucks.
The group’s modus operandi involves targeting long-distance trucks, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and homes after dark, operating in large numbers to quickly seize and abscond with valuables. Notably, nighttime travel in the Lango region has become hazardous due to the presence of organized youth gangs preying on innocent individuals.
While some have attributed the rise in crime to street children in Lira City, investigations have revealed that the perpetrators come from diverse backgrounds. The gang has earned the moniker “owuwuk,” meaning “those who shake,” and in certain areas, they refer to themselves as the “pipino (wasps) boys.” Another group specifically targets motorbike taxi drivers, employing young women to lure the cyclists into traps.
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