Otuke Prison break-in: Gun stolen, suspects at large

3 December 2025, 21:07

By Winnie Auma

Authorities in Otuke District are searching for suspects who stole a gun from Otuke Government Prison.

According to the Assistant RDC of Otuke, Isaac Opio Opeo, the incident occurred on the night of 27 November 2025.

Opio Opeo said it is alleged that unknown individuals, suspected to have used master keys, accessed staff houses at the prison that night while targeting firearms.

He said one of the three houses had two guns, of which one was taken. Details of the stolen firearm are being withheld as investigations continue. Opeo added that, upon realising there were intruders on the premises, some prison warders fired warning shots in an attempt to scare and apprehend them, but the suspects fled.

He said the security team in Otuke worked with the regional police to support the investigation with the help of a canine unit, but no arrests have yet been made.

Opeo therefore called for vigilance among residents of Otuke and the surrounding areas, warning that the stolen gun could be used to steal, rob, or kill if people are not alert.

He also urged those who took the firearm to find a way of returning it to a place where the police can easily recover it; otherwise, he said, they will all be arrested as investigations continue.

Meanwhile, the Regional Prisons Commander for the Mid-North region, SSP Godfrey Komakech, who confirmed the incident, said they already have a lead on the suspect and efforts to arrest him are ongoing.

Komakech, who did not reveal the suspect’s name, said he is a well-known criminal and a former inmate of Otuke Prison who is familiar with the layout of the premises, which enabled him to access the facility with ease.

He called for support from the community to help recover the gun, warning that it could be used for various criminal activities.