The commissioner general of prisons, Mr Johnson Byabashaija has suspended the officer in charge of Moroto government prisons, Mr Norman Aruho.
This comes after an investigation was launched into last month’s escape where 219 inmates escaped custody with 14 government-issued guns into the genral population in Moroto district.
According to Mr Frank Baine, the prisons spokesperson, the is meant to pave way for investigations, and that Mr. Latif Mayamba who was the officer in charge of Soroti prisons has been transferred to Moroto prisons.
“I can confirm that Mr Aruho has been removed to pave ways for investigations. Mr Latif Mayamba is now in charge of Moroto prisons,” Mr Baine said.
In the escape, the inmates made off with 14 guns, 15 magazines, and 480 rounds of ammunition after overpowering prison staff, in a melee that saw a UPDF shot dead as he was trying to quell the situation.
It has since been revealed that 57 of the escaped convicts had tested positive for the coronavirus and that there was a cholera outbreak in the prison too. This prompted the guards and officers on duty to act reservedly out of fear of contracting the virus of cholera.
From the last numbers update, of the 219, 18 had been recaptured, and 12 inmates were put out of action after exchanges with security forces. Mr. Baine said there was still a UGX 1.5M reward for anyone with information on the guns used and currently in the possession of the escaped convicts, and UGX 500,000 for information on the whereabouts of the escapees.
Of these escapes, 93 were on charges of being found in possession of illegal firearms; seven were on murder charges.
