Amuru police on the spot for failure to arrest illegal entrants

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Amuru police are on the spot for alleged failure to arrest Ugandans and South Sudanese nationals sneaking into the district through the porous borders in violation of the Covid-19 restrictions. In the past one week alone, Amuru district Covid-19 taskforce recorded 74 cases of illegal entrants.

This brings to 257, the number of illegal entrants registered by the task force since the lock down started in March this year. Michael Lakony, the Amuru district LC V chairperson says the illegal entrants are quarantined for 14 days and left to go to home without any charge.

He explains that some of the Ugandan nationals are forced to leave by South Sudan authorities who dump them at a no-man`s land between Nimule and Elegu. According to Lakony, police and other security personnel deployed along the border fear to arrest the suspects for fear of contracting Covid-19.

Emmanuel Bwambale, the Amuru District Police Commander downplays allegations that police fears to arrest and prosecute the illegal entrants. Without giving figures, Bwambale says they have arrested and charged several suspects after completing their mandatory quarantine period.

Amuru district’s Elegu border post accounts for over 30% of Uganda’s positive Covid-19 cases. South Sudan has recorded over 2,000 positive COVID-19 cases and 46 deaths.

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