The leaders in Mahagi district, Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of Congo have deported two Ugandans who were arrested on allegations of attempted bank robbery.

Mr Daniel Okulu, a 27- year-old resident of Icheme Sub-county, Angom village in Oyam District and Mr Emmanuel Odong, a 25-year-old resident of Tega village, Bobi Sub-county in Omoro District were arrested on April 17, 2024 and spent a month in DRC detention before they were handed over to Ugandan security forces at the weekend.

"The duo will be transferred to Gulu Fourth Division court martial where they will be interrogated on the murder of a UPDF soldier and the robberies they committed before they fled to DR Congo,” Nebbi Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Robert Abak said.
According to the RDC, the suspects were deported because they had others cases in Uganda.

"The leaders in DRC informed us about the two suspects who were arrested while attempting to rob a bank in Mahagi town. Congolese authorities liaised with us and had them deported because they had other cases in Uganda. This is why the Congolese leaders accepted their deportation and eventually trials in Uganda," he said.

Mr Abak noted that while he was serving as Lira RDC, Okulu was one time shot in his shoulder at the scene of crime where they had gone to rob with his friends in Lira City but later disappeared.
However, the Nebbi District Police Commander, Mr Amisi Kayondo, said many suspected Ugandan criminals have found DRC a safe-haven after committing crimes in Uganda.

“Since Congolese authorities declined to show interest in trying the suspects, they will be transferred to Gulu where they committed the crime of murder and robberies and they will be produced before the military court for having participated in the murder of a UPDF officer,” he said.
In 2014, Nebbi District and DR Congo leaders signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at eliminating any forms of insecurity and violence that would destabilize peace.

Part of the agreement stated that if any stolen car from either country is found in DRC, it would be returned to Uganda and if any criminal was hiding in either country, they would be deported and tried in the court of that respective country.