Posted on October, 19, 2016 at 10:39 am
By Sadat Mbogo
MPIGI. At least two people were injured on Sunday when Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement team fired live bullets to disperse an angry crowd that was pelting stones in Buwama town, Mpigi District.
URA officers had come to confiscate rice allegedly smuggled from Tanzania by a one Abdu Mubiru, a businessman in the area.
According to the officers at the scene, about 10tons of rice were recovered from the store.
Mr Victor Saasi Kule, the Katonga Region Police Commander identified the injured as Mr Jamada Kayemba, 32, a resident of Buwama ‘B’ and Mr Ngoma Ndayi, 43, a resident of Buwere ‘A’ in Buwama Sub-county. They all got cuts in the neck, legs and on their arms. “They (injured) were hit by bullet fragments and we have rushed them to our Police Clinic to receive treatment. They will recover soon because their injuries were minor. Our doctor is monitoring them to see that they get better medication,” Mr Saasi said.
According to him, the scuffle ensued because of public misconception.
“The people in this area had never seen such an operation with many soldiers thus they had to cause havoc and you may find that some of them intended to loot but luckily, the enforcement officers were successful,” added Mr Saasi.
An officer who preferred anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press told Daily Monitor that they got information about the smuggled rice through their intelligence. “We are taking the merchandise in our custody at URA offices in Nakawa, Kampala City,” he said.
When contacted for a comment about the incident Ms Sarah Banage, the URA Commissioner for Public Affairs said: “This is a day-to-day work by our enforcement team. We are doing our usual business. So, those incidences of injuring people do happen every day, every night and occurs everywhere. It is not an issue to put it in the media unless if there was death in the operation. But we shall look into this drama to find out what really caused it.”
Source: Daily Monitor