Outspoken Former Member member of Parliament for Aruu County, Hon. Samuel Odonga Otto is currently being held at CPS, Gulu.
Earlier, today Odonga Otto handed himself over to police after having snubbed previous summons to answer allegations of aggravated robbery and torture at Aswa River Region Police Headquarters in Gulu City.
Last week police declared Odonga Otto a wanted man by police for alleged aggravated robbery and torture.
This follows a video that went viral where Odonga Otto and a group of vigilantes were seen armed with pangas and sticks viciously beating up three charcoal dealers in Laorogali village, Atanga Sub County in Pader district on April 30th.
Fred Enanga, the Uganda Police spokesperson says Odonga Otto and the vigilante group also robbed over 1million shillings from the charcoal dealers identified as Semanda Charles, Wagwana Yusuf and Takafa Erisata.
Enanga adds that the suspects also vandalized the charcoal truck registration number UBA 600B before making off with two motor vehicle batteries, a motor vehicle radio, woofer, key and tarpline.
According to Enanga, the same group had earlier attacked one Olara Charles Okello, after they found him buying firewood while in his vehicle Reg. number UAP 516D along Lapul- Atanga road and robbed his phones and other belongings.
Speaking to journalists earlier in the day Odongo Otto vowed to continue with the fight against environmental degradation in Acholi sub region. By the time of filling this story Odonga was still being interrogated by police
Aswa River Region Police Spokesperson David Ongom Mudong told the press Monday that it wasn’t yet clear whether Otto will record a statement or only have a meeting with the Regional Police Commander Damali Nachuha.
Mudong however says Otto has among other cases to answer including inciting locals to loot charcoal from a truck in Pader District.
Otto launched a controversial approach to implement the charcoal ban in the region in February using local vigilantes under Ribbe Pi Paco (RPP), an environmental youth advocacy and activism group.
The group stormed several charcoal hotspots in the region where they destroyed logs and charcoal and also intercepted trucks loaded with charcoal on the major highways.
The Environment Ministry in February this year banned all districts in Acholi Sub-region from issuing documents facilitating the commercial production and trade and transportation of charcoal following an outcry on the alarming environmental degradation.
