Top Karimojong Rustler, Eight Kenyans Jailed for Illegal Possession of Firearms

A serial Karimojong cattle rustler alongside eight Turkana pastoralists have been sentenced to long prison term for illegal possession firearms. The military court martial also convicted and sentenced a subcounty  peace committee chairperson for the same offences of illegal firearms possession and violently robbing cattle.

The accused were today arraigned before Third Infantry Division court martial sitting in Moroto and promptly charged for illegal possession of firearms, tried, convicted and sentenced.

URN learnt that Achucu one of the reformed warriors who one time handed over himself to security shocked the soldiers when he was rearrested for allegedly raiding five cattle from Kotido District. He was rounded up during the security operations conducted in the month of march 2022.

Col. Frank Kateraho, the chairperson of the court martial described the convict, Achucu as the most notorious warrior who is commanding a group of sixty armed warriors distributed all over Karamoja and Turkana in Kenya.

Col. Kateraho acknowledged that there has been a public outcry accusing Achucu for terrorizing them and therefore there’s a need to isolate him from the community for correction.

He also noted that Achucu handed over his two guns’ voluntary which showed good gestured but later on it was realized that the guns were used to hoodwink the security.

‘’This honorable court found that you are guilty of illegal possession of firearms, and we considered many factors while determining your case, this court is hereby sentencing you to ten years’ imprisonment, however you have a right to appeal against the sentenced and should be done within a period of 14 days,’’ Kateraho said.

The same court convicted eight Turkana pastoralists who were arrested with illegal firearms in Naput parish, Rupa sub county during the joint security operations at the border following the killings of officials from the ministry of energy and the two UPDF officers.

Col Kateraho jointly charged the Turkana for possession of illegal firearms that earned each one of them eight years’ imprisonment in Ugandan prisons.

The court noted that the act of foreigners moving freely with guns undermines the security of the country and the same guns have caused a lot of havoc in the region.

Kateraho said that the convicts deserve harsh punishment as a deterrent measure so that it sends a signal to other offenders. He added that Turkana pastoralists are only allowed to graze their animals in Uganda but not enter with their firearms.

//cue in ‘’the public had the outcry of the same person’’....//

// cue out ‘’Achucu Lokiru peter we gave him 10 years.’’//

Meanwhile, Ariko Lomuria, the chairperson of the peace committee in Rupa sub county, was also charged in the same offence and he pleaded guilty for possession of illegal firearms.

The court learnt that Ariko handed over two guns to the security but the community insisted that he had another firearm, claims court verified and found  to be true.

Col. Kateraho says the honorable court confirmed that the convict has been actively involved in gun trade with Turkana pastoralists.

He said the10-year sentence for Ariko is hoped to act as a deterrent to future offenders involved in the gun trade.

The convicts are among the 40 suspects charged today before the UPDF 3rd division court martial sitting in Moroto district.