A Uganda Peoples Defence Focces (UPDF) officer at the rank of Lt Colonel has been arrested over a botched arms deal in the western district of Ntoroko that left to people dead.
According to a press statement issued by Brig Richard Karemire, the Uganda army spokesperson, Lt Colonel, Richard Muhangi, the Commanding Officer of the 3rd Mountain Batallion under the 2nd Division has been detained by the UPDF over the shooting that left two civilians dead in the same operation.
News of his arrest comes hours after it emerged that two top security officers in Ntoroko district had been arrested on allegations of murder. They are; Gerald Atuhairwe, the Ntoroko District Police Commander and Brian Babishanga, the Ntoroko Internal District Security Officer.
The duo was arrested on Sunday and locked up at Fort Portal Police Station under police file number CRB 208/2017.
Lydia Tumushabe, the Rwenzori Regional Police Spokesperson, says the two are wanted in connection to the killing of Erasmus Irumba and Richard Kanyoro, both residents of Butungama Sub County on Saturday.
Circumstances under which Irumba and Kanyoro were shot are still shrouded in controversy.
Earlier, Tumushabe explained that the DPC, DISO and Lt. Col Richard Muhangi, the Commander of the 3rd Mountain Battalion based in Ntoroko district, received information that Irumba and Kanyoro were in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The officers, according to Tumushabe, decided to ambush the suspects who were riding two numberless motorcycles at Butungama trading centre on Saturday evening leading to a shootout in which the suspects were killed.
