Julius Osia, a resident of Aleles village, Akoromit Sub County in Kapelebyong district has voluntarily surrendered an illegal firearm to Maj. Gen. Joseph Arocha, member of the UPDF General Court Martial.
Osia explained that he exchanged three cows with Karimojong warriors in 2014 for the firearm. According to Osia, he was compelled to acquire the firearm to protect his kraal of seventy cattle them from Karimojong cattle thieves.
He however, says that he decided to surrender the firearm because of the relative peace and calm following the deployment along the border with Karamoja sub region. Maj. Gen. Arocha says he met with Osia and explained to him the consequences of keeping illegal guns in the house, something he says prompted the 41- year- old to surrender the gun.
Maj. Gen. Arocha noted that there are still isolated cases of illegal firearms in the hands of local communities in the region that need to be surrendered. Handing Osia a Certificate of Surrender of Loose Weapon to Government, the East Kyoga Regional Police Commander, Maxwell Ogwal urged him to encourage others to surrender illegal arms in their position to government.
Only eleven firearms have been surrendered voluntarily to security across the ten districts of Teso Sub region since 2008. Majority of the illegal arms were acquired during rebel activities in the region. Others were acquired to protect cattle and families from cattle rustlers and their aides.
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