POLICE SHOOTING INJURES BODA BODA RIDER IN OBONGI TOWN COUNCIL

By Araba Kalsum 

Obongi

A stampede that happened in Obongi Town Council when police opened fire while attempting to re-arrest a suspect identified only as Ibrahim, who had reportedly escaped from police custody over allegations of rape and defilement has left one person nursing severe gunshot wounds at Yumbe regional referral hospital.

According to eyewitnesses, police located the suspect at a nearby cinema hall where he was watching a Manchester United football match.

The suspect reportedly resisted arrest, prompting police to open fire. During the incident, a boda boda rider, identified as Asobasi Joseph, was shot and injured.

Asobasi was reportedly operating from the Jobless Billionaire Boda Boda Stage, located opposite the cinema hall where the incident occurred.

An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity but operates a chapatti business near the scene, described how the incident started and how an innocent boda boda rider, who was not part of the confrontation, was injured.

“The police got the suspect in the cinema hall when they were watching football and re-arrested him, they came with a small crowd who were following them by that time surely they had already re-arrested the guy who raped the girl, they were taking him but he refused and the crowd was trying to cause chaos which forced the police to open fire immediately shooting bullets, then people started running, and unfortunately in the process the innocent boy was shot. He is very humble he doesn’t involve himself in such,” the business operator narrated.

Meanwhile, another boda boda rider, identified as Bear Patrick, who operates at Jobless Boda Boda Stage, said the suspect was being re-arrested after allegedly escaping from police custody.

Bear claims that the suspect had earlier paid two cows to the parents of the minor he is accused of defiling, but still had a pending case at police.

“This boy called Ibrahim escaped from the police custody since March after defiling the young girl then came back by himself, according to reports they sat as family to resolve the matter where he gave two cows to the parents of the girl,” revealed Bear .

Meanwhile, the North West Nile Regional Police spokesperson, Asea Collins says, “Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the violence that occurred during the attempted arrest. “According to our investigators on ground, Ibrahim has two cases, rape and defilement and the issues are under investigation, we shall inform the public about it but the civilian is currently receiving proper treatment at Yumbe regional referral hospital but am also urging the community please when our officers are performing their lawful duty respect them because at the end of the day we get this unfortunate incidences of stray bullets hitting an innocent person,” Asea urged.

Cases of stray bullets hitting innocent members of the public during operations are common but the public has been urged to avoid confronting police officers during operations.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis