At least two people have been killed in the last one month by a group of suspected iron bar hit men in Gulu town leaving residents in panic.
The victims, all male were attacked by men who are suspected to be part of a gang who have been behind a wave of attacks against unsuspecting residents.
Since August, 14 people majority of whom residents of Gulu town and its suburbs, have been hit according to a police report.
The dead have been identified as Wellborn Kilama, 35, a boda boda taxi operator in Gulu town whose throat was slit on Thursday morning along Eden road in Senior Quarters in Gulu town and Richard Oryema, 17, a S4 student of Gulu Army School. Oryem sustained multi deep cuts on the crown of his head before succumbing to his injuries at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital on October 23.
Despite increased night patrols by police, especially in Pece, Layibi and Bar Dege divisions, areas believed to be havens haven for criminals, the attacks have not ceased.
On Saturday morning, a popular radio presenter, with Radio Rupiny, an affiliate of the Vision Group, Denis Okello was hacked on the head. Okello sustained three deep cut wound on his head. He is currently nursing his injuries at St Mary’s Hospital- Lacor. That very night, two other people were also attacked in separate incidents.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa Region Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), said police is hunting for a group of suspected iron bar hit men believed to be part of an organized criminal gang. Okema said they have already identified three such groups one of them named as: ‘No pain, no gain.’
The police spokesman explained that the members of the gang specialize in inflicting pain on victims as they rob them.
Suspected gang leaders including Star Okello and Patrick Opiyo who have worked before as police informants are currently being held in relations to the killings and attacks on the residents in Gulu town.
Boda boda taxi operators in Gulu who have become a target of the criminal gangs are demanding that the police should invite the army in tracking down the suspects.
Peter Oyoo, a boda boda operator in Gulu town says he is not happy with the way Police has responded to the increasing crime wave in Gulu.
But Martin Okoyo, the Gulu District Police Commander (DPC), said the crime situation in Gulu does not warrant the support of the army since ‘‘it is under control.’’
Police has asked residents to feed it with information as it cracks down on the gangs.
