Three Arrested Over Fuel Theft in Buliisa

The police in Buliisa has arrested three people for allegedly stealing fuel from trucks belonging to China Chongqing International Construction Company Limited- CICO. The company was contracted to work on the Hoima –Butiaba- Wanseko road.   

The suspects have been identified as Charles Katwkwa 35, Jesero Wandera 36 and Abdallah Kusiima 19.   They were arrested on Monday in Buliisa town Council after they connived with CICO truck drivers and siphoned fuel from the trucks. 

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson says that Police received information that the suspects had connived with some truck drivers of CICO and siphoned fuel from the company trucks within Buliisa town council and that they were transporting the suspected stolen fuel to Hoima town. He says this prompted police to mount a roadblock along the Buliisa-Hoima road. 

According to Hakiza, when they intercepted the Taxi, the driver fled but police managed to arrest the three suspects and recovered 31 jerry cans of diesel.  They were reportedly transporting the stolen fuel to Hoima town.

In October 2020, Uganda Peoples Defense Forces-UPDF soldiers attached to the Marine Brigade shot dead a man for allegedly siphoning fuel from trucks belonging to the same road construction firm in Buliisa district. 

Muhammad Mutazindwa met his death at Bukuli village in Biiso Sub County in Buliisa. 

The deceased was siphoning fuel from trucks belonging to China Chongqing International Construction Company Limited-CICO together with three others who fled.

The soldiers acted on a tip-off that the deceased and his accomplices were siphoning fuel from the company trucks.

In 2018, the government contracted CICO to tarmac the 111km Hoima-Butiaba Wanseko road at 179 Billion Shillings. 

The company has severally complained of fuel theft from their trucks, saying it is affecting the progress of the project.

The construction works are expected to be completed by the end of this month.