KABERAMAIDO: Five people have been arrested for allegedly vandalising pipes connecting water to Kalaki and Kaberamaido districts. The arrest follows a severe water crisis that hit Kaberamaido and Soroti districts for more than a month.
The suspects are Robert Kato, Samuel Lukyamuzi, Reuben Magezi, and Justus Nsiznya, all from Kampala. The East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesman, Oscar Gregg Ageca, says that the police also impounded the Fuso truck with registration number UBH 426D that was being used to carry the pipes.
It’s alleged that the suspects vandalised pipes at Olyacha swamp in Olyacha Cell, Kalaki town council. The group is reported to have parked the truck at the roadside along the swamp boundaries and vandalised pipes, but they were cited by some residents who tipped the police.
Ageca adds that when the police reached the swamp, the suspects had fled.
“Through intelligence and the use of closed-circuit cameras (CCTV), the individuals were arrested in Awoja in Soroti district in possession of 19 water pipes,” Ageca said.
He added that the police have been investigating four different cases of theft of 24 pipes along Soroti-Lira Road. The pipes are valued at 30 million shillings.
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has been struggling to supply water for more than a month due to continued pipe vandalism, particularly in Kaberamaido.