Thomas Ojok, the Senior Clinical Officer at the Health Centre and Walter Otema, the Driver of a government ambulance were arrested on the orders of William Komakech, the Kitgum Resident District Commissioner on Saturday morning.
The Police in Kitgum district have arrested the in charge of Orom Health Centre III for allegedly asking for fuel from a gunshot victim who needed an ambulance to transport them to medical attention.
Thomas Ojok, the Senior Clinical Officer at the Health Centre and Walter Otema, the Driver of a government ambulance were arrested on the orders of William Komakech, the Kitgum Resident District Commissioner on Saturday morning.
Komakech told our reporter in an interview that Ojok had been instructed to dispatch an ambulance to transport a man who had been shot by Karamojong rustlers on Friday. The man, identified as Yoweri Omony, 37, was attacked by armed cattle thugs in a botched cattle raid at his home in Morocolong village, katwotwo parish, about ten kilometres from Orom Health Center III.
According to Komakech, the clinical officer sent the ambulance driver with a notice to collect 200,000 Shillings from the gunshot victim as fuel fee. He notes the driver returned to the Health Centre without the victim who was left bleeding because his family members failed to raise the money.
Komakech says that the two are now detained at Orom Police Post waiting transfer to Kitgum Central Police Station where they will be charged with negligence of duty. He warned health officials to desist from taking advantage of the current ban on public transport to make money from vulnerable patients using government vehicles.
This website has learnt that the gunshot victim was later transported on a motorcycle to Namokora Health Center IV for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, security personnel have mounted a hunt for the suspects behind the Friday morning attack in katwotwo parish. This is the second time in less than a month that an invasion of armed Karamojong cattle rustlers in Orom Sub County this year have left injuries on locals.
In mid last month, 38-year-old Marshall Acire, a livestock farmer in Apimoto village in Kiteng Parish, was shot on his left thigh and lower stomach during a clash between local defence unit soldiers and Karamojong rustlers.
Julius Ocungi
Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through [email protected]
