By Prosper Gibolo
KOTIDO:Police in Kotido Central Police Station have rescued 17 people and arrested three suspects believed to be part of a human trafficking racket.
The suspects have been identified as Joseph Nangiro, a resident of Lodera village in Napumpum Sub-county, Esther Nakut, a resident of Panyangara Sub-county and Moses Ogwang aged 52, ( a prime suspect ) from Kididima village, Kimngo Sub-county in Masindi district.
The trio was arrested on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Paradise Hotel, Acholi quarters in Central Division, Kotido Municipality where they had booked accommodation for 17 victims following a tip-off from the local leaders.
The victims include nine adults and seven children aged between five and ten years, and are said to have come from sub-counties of Napumpum and Panyanyara.
Stella Amojong the LCI Chairperson of Acholi quarters, said that suspects had lured the victims with fake job offers at sugar factory in Masindi.
She added that the victims were confined and closely monitored in a tiny hotel room awaiting to be transported to Masindi by Ogwang, whom she accused of allegedly trespassing into her area, and started recruiting people without any documentation.
Madelena Nakut, Annet Losiya, and Awot Losike, residents of Lodera village in Napumpum, said that they were contacted by Esther Akot, who informed them about a man looking for workers to work in sugar factory in Masindi.
They alleged that Ogwang, the ring leader, promised to pay them Shs140,000 after working for two weeks.
Francis Bongo, the Kidepo Regional Assistant Crime Investigation Officer, said that during interrogation, Ogwang failed to provide any documents proving that he was officially contracted by a sugar factory whose name has not been established to recruit casual laborers.
Bongo observed that Moses Ogwang arrived in Kotido on Wednesday last week, but did not inform the authorities about his presence or the planned recruitment exercise, which raised suspicion about his activities, leading to his arrest.
After his arrest, Moses Ogwang apologized for not introducing himself to the area LCI Chairperson and asked for forgiveness, however, his pleas did not yield positive results, and he and his accomplices were sent to police custody.
Meanwhile Peter Abrahams Lokii, the Kotido Assistant Resident District Commissioner cautioned the locals to be vigilant of unscrupulous people who are involved in human trafficking in pretext of job opportunities.
Lokii said that the current hunger crisis should not force the locals to flee the area, noting that the government is currently distributing relief food to families hit by hunger.
