KAMPALA, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military on Thursday killed the ringleader of a daring massive jailbreak where over 200 inmates escaped from a prison in the northeastern district of Moroto in September 2020.
Isaac Okware, the Third Division army spokesperson, told Xinhua by telephone that Tom Lopusi, a notorious warrior who allegedly led the Singila prison break in Moroto town was killed at Loputuk village in the neighboring Kotido district.
A total of 219 out of 620 prisoners, a majority of them sentenced over illegal possession of firearms in the region (also known as Karamoja), took off with 15 guns and several rounds of ammunition after overpowering the prison wardens on duty two years ago.
"The joint security forces conducted a cordon and search operation in Loputuk where one well-known notorious and (highly) profiled warrior in the name of Tom Lopusi was put out of action," Okware said. His body has been taken to Kotido Health Center IV for postmortem.
The military spokesperson said the joint forces recovered a prison gun, one of the guns taken during the prison break incident, and 18 rounds of live ammunition.
Okware said the security forces have been trailing the 32-year-old following another attack on an army detachment in Panyangara, where a military officer was killed.
"We congratulate our joint security forces for the tactical efforts made so far and their commitment to degrade armed criminal elements and pacify Karamoja sub-region," Okware said. ■
