Police in the East Kyoga region are holding a student of Soroti Senior Secondary School to explain how he came into possession of 22 rounds of live ammunition.
The suspect was arrested last week following a search of his residence that yielded 20 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and two rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bullets.
According to Richard Musisi, the Deputy Regional Police Commander for East Kyoga, officers acted on a tip-off from a fellow student following an altercation at the school. Investigators are currently examining whether the suspect has links to recent armed violent crimes in the area.
‘We want him to explain to us where he got the 20 rounds of AK-47 and 2 rounds of an RPG,’ Mr Musisi said. ‘We are beginning to think he is linked to the people who shot a boda boda rider in Nakatunya a week ago.’
Speaking on Friday during the graduation ceremony of 100 youths trained in renewable energy skills, Mr Musisi revealed that the region is currently facing a surge in youth-led criminal gangs, with a high proportion of inmates under the age of 30.
He noted that police are tracking several active criminal outfits in the area, including the BB Youth Gang, Ikong, Press 1, and two separate gangs operating within Soroti Senior Secondary School itself.
‘Youth are becoming a problem because they are trying to survive,’ Mr Musisi added. ‘Soroti is currently grappling with youth gangs headed by commanders, some of whom are not even afraid of confronting me as the police commander.’
The deputy RPC hailed the vocational training initiative as a timely intervention to steer young people away from crime by providing them with productive livelihood skills.
The training programme was implemented by Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in partnership with Uganda Martyrs Polytechnic Soroti and funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Dr Sylvia Aarakit, the principal investigator for the Green Energy for Women and Youth project, explained that the initiative focused on equipping participants with practical knowledge in solar technology, electric mobility, and the production of energy-saving stoves and briquettes.
Eng Jorem Adutu, the principal of Uganda Martyrs Polytechnic Soroti, expressed optimism about the initiative, stating that seven weeks into his tenure, he is eager to see the college expand such practical programmes to help young people generate self-employment and curb rising criminality.