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The accused include Francis Odongo, an operative working with the External Security Organisation (ESO), James Opolot, a crime intelligence officer and Felix Ezangu, the border internal security officer all attached to Vurra customs border point.
Preliminary reports indicate that the accused aided the entry of a yet-to-be-identified Congolese gold dealer. This was to evade the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) protocol at the border post on March 24.
The accused reportedly intercepted the businessman before crossing the border. They then solicited a bribe of $10,000. They even went ahead and provided escort security to Arua city for the smuggler to sell his pieces of gold.
A security official who preferred anonymity told a URN reporter that the accused persons shared the bribe they got from the gold dealer on March 25.
This was from Devine Touch hotel, a few meters from the Vurra customs border post. Arua resident district commissioner Godfrey Okiswa says that the matter came to light when the accused officials disagreed on how to share their loot.
“We only came to learn about this at the time when there was a scuffle and the sharing of the money that they could have been compromised with,” said Okiswa.
Meanwhile, Vurra sub-county chairperson Joel Pariyo explains that cases of extortion by security operatives are rampant at the border.
He also appealed to the district security committee to intervene. The accused persons declined to speak to the media.
Gold smuggling is really a big offense and lead to serious arrest.
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