By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
A Deputy Head teacher and two others have been arrested after police found them in possession of property belonging to the late Member of Parliament for Serere County, Bishop Patrick Okabe.
The trio was arrested yesterday, 29th December, 2022 after police got a tip off from a Manager of Stabex Petrol Station in Budaka.
The items include a Stabex fuel card and five ATM cards of different banks, one identity card of Parliament, two insurance cards, business cards, and four passport size photographs of Okabe.
The Bukedi North regional police spokesperson, Ms Immaculate Alaso, confirmed the arrests on Thursday, 29th December, 2022 and said the suspects include a deputy head teacher and two boda boda riders.
“The suspects will help us in the investigations,” Ms Alaso said.
Police said one of the suspects, a boda boda rider, went to Stabex fuel station in Budaka Town Council on Wednesday and presented the said Stabex fuel card bearing the names of the late Okabe to the pump attendant. The suspect reportedly asked the pump attendant to give him two and a half litres of fuel charged on the card for his motorcycle.
“The pump attendant directed him to the manager of Stabex fuel station since she did not have authority to handle clients who have fuel cards. When the manager asked the suspect for the pin, he did not know it,” Ms Alaso said.
She added: “He (suspect) told the manager that he had been sent by his employer, a one Kutta and that the motorcycle was not his. The manager was suspicious and alerted us, leading to the arrest. The first suspect led us to his colleagues.”
Alaso says police conducted a search in the residences and work places of the suspects and recovered Okabe’s belongings.
Ms Alaso said a file (GEF) 016/2022 has been opened at Budaka Central Police Station to investigate circumstances under which the suspects got Okabe’s belongings.
Okabe, who also doubled as an overseer of Impact Ministries in Serere, died with his wife Christine Okabe when a truck rammed into their vehicle on the way to Kampala. They were buried on December 24 at their home in Oburin Cell, Ochapa Town Council in Serere District.
The accident occurred on December 19 at Naboa Town Council in Budaka District on Mbale-Tirinyi highway. Their driver is still battling for his life at Mulago National Referral Hospital, while the driver of the truck is on the run.
