Unknown gunmen on Thursday shot dead another boda boda rider in Gulu City.
The deceased identified as Samuel Okello 32 was reportedly shot dead at Vanguard Cell in Pece-Laroo Division. His Motorcycle, a Bajaj Boxer registration UFF 186T was reportedly stolen by the assailants.
The Aswa River Region Police spokesperson David Ongom Mudong said that the deceased was attacked by two assailants disguised as passengers.
Mudong notes that the assailants stopped the deceased from Makome Guest House in Pece-Laroo Division and boarded his motorcycle pretending to travel to Aywee Cell.
He however says a few distances, the assailants stopped Okello at Vanguard Cell and shot him dead before fleeing with his motorcycle.
According to Mudong, the Police Flying squad team swiftly responded to the incident and tracked the assailants to a grass-thatched hut at Teogali village in Chuda Parish, Gulu West Division.
He says the police conducted a search in the hut and recovered an AK47 assault rifle with five rounds of ammunition. Other items recovered during the search according to Mudong include a tracking device that was allegedly in a stolen motorcycle belonging to WATU company, house-breaking equipment, and three master keys.
He however says no arrest has yet been made in connection to the incident.
The shooting comes barely a week after two other boda boda riders were shot dead and another left with serious injuries in Gulu City and Kitgum Municipality last week in a similar way before their motorcycles were taken away by the assailants.
The victims were identified by the police as Ivan Omara, a resident of Pandowng Division in Kitgum Municipality, and Caesar Okot 32, a resident of Tedam Cell in Bardege ward, Bardege-Layibi Division.
Last week, the Police Flying squad arrested a total of 11 suspects in connection to the murder in Kitgum Municipality and recovered one stolen motorcycle from in Lamwo District. Two of the suspects are residents of Lamwo while nine are residents of Kitgum Municipality.
According to the Police Annual Crime Report of 2022, the Aswa River region registered a total of 216 cases of homicide, 25 of which were murders by shooting.
