COVID-19 suspects flee quarantine centre after gunshot sound

Kitgum, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Two COVID-19 suspects who were under quarantine at Pandwong Health Center III in Kitgum Municipality fled for their dear lives into the community following the frightening sound of gunshots within the health facility,  on Saturday evening.

It’s reported that a police officer who was guarding the facility fired multiple shots in the air in an attempt to scare off a motorist after an altercation for allegedly riding past 6 pm.

Pandwong Division Chairperson Raymond Ocan told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Sunday that the police officer identified only as Nyeko was drunk when he assumed duty. He says the officer absconded from his duty station at the health centre and instead moved to a nearby road where he started stopping and extorting money from cyclists and motorists.

According to Ocan, at about 6:30 p.m., the officer intercepted another motorist and confiscated his motorcycle claiming that he was riding beyond the accepted time. He subsequently rolled his motorbike to the health centre,  and when the biker attempted to enter the health facility, the police officer fired multiple gunshots to scare him. 

Ocan says the gunshots forced some of those under quarantine to flee for safety into the nearby homesteads but returned after the police officer was subdued by his colleagues who were dispatched at the scene. He, however, notes that it remains unclear the level of contacts those who fled from the health centre had with other locals before returning to the facility.

Dr Geoffrey Okello, the Acting Medical Superintendent of Kitgum General Hospital also the head of the district COVID-19 case management unit says they will follow up to investigate where the suspects hid before returning to the facility. The affected group includes people who are waiting for their confirmatory results from the Uganda Virus Research Institute. 

The Kitgum Resident District CommissionerGeoffrey Okello, says the police officer has been arrested and detained at Kitgum Central Police station pending further investigation.

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