A truck of crude alcohol netted in Karamoja

Police in Moroto on Saturday detained seven businessmen including a driver of a Fuso truck registration number UAN 524L loaded with about 200 Jeri cans of crude alcohol being illegally transported from Jinja to Moroto town.

According to ASP Richard Anyama of Moroto Central police station, the dealers were netted at Iriir sub-county in Moroto district.

Mr. Anyama identified the suspected traders as Bakaliz Nsamba, Munyobi Lokiru, John Buesi, Paul Logit, Maruka Achum, Amanya Lorika, and Muru Locham all residents of Kangole parish Bokora County.

“Police learnt that the suspects were selling the enguli during night hours to retailers at different trading centers as they headed towards the Municipality” said Mr. Anyama.

Mr. Anyama said the suspects will be produced in court on Monday and could face up to one year imprisonment if found guilty according to the 1964 Enguli act which prohibits dealing in unlicensed alcoholic drinks in Uganda.

Karamoja regional police spokesperson Mr. George Obia said a by-law prohibiting the sale of enguli in Karamoja was set last year apart from the national law against the practice of transporting or dealing in crude and unlicensed alcoholic drinks.

“A law in the region was passed last year to ban the sale of crude alcohol. Already six people have been convicted and are serving the sentence at Kotido prisons” he said.
Mr. Obia however noted that the one year sentence and cash fine is a lighter punishment that most dealers don’t take as serious.

“The problem is that the punishment is quite light. The culprits are in most cases either cautioned or fined - this penalty is not punitive enough” Mr. Obia said on Saturday.

This is not the first case of illegal transportation of crude alcohol into Karamoja. Early last month, Mr. Sam Adam Okello an LC3 chairperson of Morulem Sub County in Abim district was detained over shooting Mr. Zackary Muya a police officer who was guarding a truck loaded with several containers of crude enguli being imported from Lira district for sale in Karamoja. The vehicle belonged to Mr. Okello

According to police, heavy consumption of crude waraji especially in the districts of Abim and Kotido has led to high crime rates inform of domestic violence and child negligence.