Two arrested over theft of road construction fuel in Lira

4 days ago

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The Police in Lira city have arrested two people and recovered 26 jerricans of diesel suspected to have been meant for the ongoing road construction projects in the Lango sub-region.

The Government is undertaking the construction of the Rwekunye-Apac-Lira-Acholibur and Lira-Kamdini roads.

The project, which is expected to cost shillings 800 billion, kicked off two years ago.

The suspects arrested and detained to aid the Police with the investigation are Kiseka Umar, a machine operator with Mota-Engil (an international company undertaking the construction of the Lira-Kamdini road), and Isaac Okello of Alito camp.

Police trucks during the recovery

According to North Kyoga Police region spokesperson Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Police have also recovered four plastic drums and several siphoning tubes.

Okema said they have been receiving several complaints of theft of fuel meant for the road construction going on along Apac-Kwania-Lira, but on Wednesday, through their normal patrols, they recovered the items in Alito camp village and Pito Aweno Ipito Gweno cell in Lira city west division.

"We were on a normal motorized patrol duty in Lira City, and we received information that there was a blue motor vehicle suspected to be carrying stolen items," Okema said in a statement on Thursday.

"Shortly after the patrol team came across a blue car whose number plates had been covered, which raised suspicion," he added.

car suspected for being used to carry stolen fuel

Okema said they tried to stop the vehicle, but instead, the driver sped off prompting the officers to pursue it and discharge warning bullets in the air. However, the Police were only able to catch up with the vehicle after the tires were shot. Three people in the car jumped out and fled.

"On searching the vehicle, we found Umar who is also a resident of Pito Aweno Ipito gweno (Pipe) along Kwania road, and in the car, we recovered 12 jerrycans of diesel," he added.

He added that 14 jerricans of diesel, four plastic drums, and siphoning tubes were also recovered from Okello's store at Alito camp.

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