A police officer who knocked dead a UPDF soldier on Friday 15th December at Rackoko checkpoint has reportedly handed himself to Pader Central Police Station.
The deceased has been identified as Corporal Zadock Ojok, a member of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in Pader District.
Police sources revealed that Corporal Churchill Ocaya, the driver of a Police patrol vehicle believed to have been involved in the fatal incident, surrendered to authorities over the weekend.
Apac District Police Commander (DPC) Rodgers Kapere confirmed the presence of the suspect at Pader Central Police Station but did not explicitly state whether the suspect was detained.
In a statement to journalists on Sunday, Kapere mentioned that the suspect is currently providing a statement at Pader, and investigations are underway. The Inspector of Vehicles (IOV) from Lira District is expected to assess the vehicle involved in the incident to determine if there was a brake failure or any other contributing factors.
Corporal Ocaya, stationed at Apac Central Police Station, was driving a police vehicle implicated in the fatal collision with Corporal Ojok at a checkpoint along Lira-Kitgum Road, Rackoko Trading Centre in Pader District.
Initial reports suggest that the suspect may have left his duty station on December 15 to transport his family to his village in Pader District. Allegedly, he used a police van for the journey and was armed with a rifle (number UG-POL.56 – 128110031) loaded with 60 rounds of ammunition. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the details surrounding the incident.
