Arua Police arrest two over bribing cop to kill murder case

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The Police in Arua district stationed in Odumi on Monday, April 15, 2024, took to court two people who were arrested by Police for bribing officers with sh2m to kill a murder case.

The suspects were arrested on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at around 4:30 pm at Arua Vurra district CPS, in Vurra sub-county. The arrested suspects are Annet Ajikia, 28, and wife of the murder suspect, Innocent Onzima, and Brian Nyakuta, 22, a bodaboda rider, all residents of Nyio Village in Arua.

The murder and escape to DRC

West Nile Police region spokesperson Josephine Angucia said it is alleged that on December 17, 2023, Arijole Alido was murdered by his brother called Innocent Onzima and other clan members, that his house was demolished and all his properties were burnt by the same people.

Angucia said after the murder, the body was dumped inside his pit latrine; they accused him of being rich as a result of 'Illuminati'. After committing these offences, all the suspects allegedly escaped to hide in DR Congo.

This case of murder was registered under Arua Vurra district CPS CRB 239/2023 and malicious damage and Arson were registered on SD reference 13/12/2023.

CID transfer give suspects hope

When the suspects received information that the former OC CID, Detective ASP Moses Maloba had been transferred and that a new OC CID, Detective ASP Japhar Kalinaki, brought, they decided to come back to their homes from DR Congo.

When the new OC CID received information about this case file and the suspects being back home from DR Congo, he mobilised personnel to arrest the murder suspects.

On Friday, April 12, 2024, at about 4:00 pm, Onzima who allegedly commanded the clan members to kill the deceased, was arrested and detained at Arua Vurra district Central Police Station at Odumi.

On April 14, 2024, the two suspects of bribery came to the station and entered into the office of the current OC CID Arua district, and handed over shillings two million to him asking him to kill the murder case against their relative Innocent Onzima and set him free.

This led to the arrest and detention of the two suspects. A case of bribing a Police officer on duty was registered under SD reference 16/14/04/2024. Statements were obtained from the two suspects, as well as from witnesses.

The shillings two million was recovered and exhibited. Their case file was forwarded to the resident state attorney and sanctioned accordingly. They were taken to Arua court on Monday afternoon to answer to the offence of Bribing a Police officer.

Meanwhile, the case file of murder was also sanctioned and Onzima was also taken to Arua court to answer to the charge of murder.

Angucia says the arrest of the two who attempted to bribe a Police officer to kill a murder case should serve as a lesson to the public that the Uganda Police Force is a professional institution that does not encourage corruption.

She warned that those who think of inducing Police officers through corrupt practices like bribery should desist from the vice, as they can be arrested and prosecuted according to the law.