Police in Agago district is hunting for a workshop manager attached to St Bakhita vocational training institute in Kalongo town council over alleged theft of the institute’s property worth Shs 103 million.
Mr Robert Anywar is alleged to have conspired with two other people, a businessman and a truck driver to steal his employers’ property on Friday night last week using a lorry registration UAX 597 Q.
The stolen items includes a 10 Kw generator worth Shs 60 million, an electrical water pump valued at Shs 25 million, power invertors, solar panels, solar batteries and a motorcycle.
Police has since recovered the items and arrested four suspects identified as Jackson Okello Aywe [a businessman], the lorry driver Joseph Otim 29, James Okelomone, a farmer and Charles Oyoo, a carpenter.
They were arrested at Pacye village in Parabongo Sub-county where they hid the items, only about eight kilometres from St Bakhita vocational training institute.
Agago Resident District Commissioner Mr Charles Ray Okwir told Acholi Times in an interview on Tuesday that one of the suspect, Mr Aywe was found in possession of an AK47 gun, 28 rounds of ammunition and four pairs of brand new army Uniforms.
Mr Okwir said Aywe is either formerly served in the Local Defence Unit.
“Security personnel are investigating how Mr Aywe possessed the gun, his connection to the theft and whether he is still active in LDU,” Mr Okwir said.
What prompted the theft?
According to Mr Okwir, the stolen properties had been bought by a non-governmental organization to aid a farming project the school initiated on a 150 hectares land in Parabongo Sub County two years ago.
After the project collapsed, the RDC said, the items were taken back to the school but were left unattended.
“Management of the school has gradually been poor over the years because of limited funding. The number of students had reduced to only 15 and most of the equipment were not being cared for,” Mr Okwir said.
Agago District Police Commander Mr Albert Onyango said one of the suspects arrested possessing a gun has been transferred to Gulu Central Police station for more interrogation while three others are being detained at Patongo police station.
He said the suspects will be charged with theft adding that manhunt for the workshop manager still continues.
St Bakhita Vocational institute is run by the Archdiocese of Gulu and was established to skill youth formerly in captivity by the Lords Resistance Army(LRA) rebels.
