The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kira Road police station is holding Isaac Okello, a guard from Saracen security after being caught red-handed selling 31 bullets at Shillings 2000 each. Okello, who has since been slapped with charges of unlawful possession of government stores, was allegedly selling the bullets to Fred Okumu, the operations manager of Jet Tech Security Company.
The suspect is said to have contacted Okumu on Monday, informing him that he had bullets and some bullet magazines he was selling at a giveaway price. Since Okumu had never met Okello, he became suspicious and rushed and alerted officers at Ntinda police station that he had received a call from a stranger who was selling bullets and magazines.
The police officers encouraged Okumu to inform the stranger that he was ready to buy the ammunition and tasked him to find him at his office in Minister’s village, Ntinda township. Okello arrived at Jet Tech Security Company in the evening with a bag containing the bullets and magazines.
Okumu tasked him to open the bag and the negotiations started. It was at that moment that the covert security officers who also first disguised themselves as interested buyers arrested Okello and handcuffed him. Police realized the 31 bullets included; 19 for Sub-Machine Gun (SMG), 3 for a pistol, 1 for a Mark4, 2 for a greener gun, and 2 for pump action.
Okello’s bag also contained eight SMG magazines, 3 Semi-Automated Rifle-SAR magazines, and breaking implements that included a grinder, two pliers, two screwdrivers, a hammer, two chisels, a metal cutter, and a rowing machine.
“He was selling the bullets at 2,000 Shillings each while each magazine was going for 10,000 Shillings. He came with these bullets from his home in Kamanga-Kirombe zone, Makindye division, in Kampala,” a detective said.
Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson confirmed Okello’s arrest, saying that efforts to establish the exact source of the weapons are underway. It has since been established that Okello also had two guns, which police picked up on Tuesday from his residence in Kirombe.
When tasked to reveal where he got the bullets and guns since all private guards are directed to keep firearms at any nearby police station, Okello reportedly said he picked them up from a Field Force Unit-FFU officer he does not know.
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