In a recent incident on Tuesday night, joint security forces, consisting of UPDF and police officers, successfully thwarted a shop robbery in Otuke district. Acting on a tip-off from concerned locals, the forces responded promptly to a report of a middle-aged man armed with a rifle at Agweng cell, Owinyo ward, Olilim Town Council in Otuke District.
The suspect had allegedly held the shop owner at gunpoint while attempting to rob the store. However, the joint security forces managed to surround the suspect. North Kyoga Regional Police spokesperson, SP Patrick Jimmy Okema, identified the suspect as 36-year-old Norman Ouni, who had previously been accused of stealing a police gun during an attack on officers guarding the Electoral Commission offices in Otuke town.
“On arrival at the scene, one Ouni Norman Kaunda, a resident of Otuke Town Council and a wanted suspect in the theft of a police gun that occurred between the night of September 16th and 17th, 2023, from the Electoral Commission offices in Otuke District, was spotted,” Okema reported.
The suspect reportedly attempted to resist arrest and engaged with the joint forces, leading to a confrontation that ultimately resulted in his death at the scene.
This incident comes on the heels of another shooting incident just a week prior, which claimed the life of Costa Apio, a 73-year-old individual. Investigators suspect that the deceased suspect, Norman Ouni, may have been involved in the earlier shooting of the elderly woman.
The crime scene was cordoned off and thoroughly processed by the authorities. During the operation, a police gun with the serial number UG POL 563617800, along with six rounds of ammunition, was recovered. Additionally, the stolen items from the shop robbery were successfully retrieved.
The joint security forces are continuing their investigation into these incidents to ensure the safety and security of the community in Otuke District.