About five heads of cattle were also recovered in Bukedea district. Police have of late adopted the use of tracking dogs to quickly solve complex criminal matters and save resources and manpower.
Over the weekend, police apprehended several criminals, but in the rarest case, police in Kasasira town council, Kibuku district, are hunting for police constable, Zubair Dankaine, after a police dog netted him in a robbery. On the night of January 6, Dankaine, a police constable, is said to have led a team of hooded criminals that broke into a disco hall and forced its management to hand over cash and items worth Shs 3 million.
He did not report to work the following day, but when the town council police deployed a sniffer dog to track the scent of the stolen items, it led the police officers to a house rented by Dankaine. Upon hearing his colleagues knock on the door, Dankaine escaped through the rear window into the nearby bush.
When his colleagues broke down the door, they recovered the stolen disco equipment, which included speakers and mixers.
Thereafter, angry residents launched a manhunt for Dankaine, who remained in hiding by press time. The residents thereafter demanded the immediate transfer of corrupt policemen from the town council, lest they hold a demonstration.
BODA BODA RECOVERED
In Apac, three suspects are on the run for stealing a boda boda motorcycle from Ronald Anyeme. Kungu police station in Ibuje sub-county introduced a tracking dog called General at the scene of the crime, where it picked up the scent. It tracked the scent for two kilometres.
The motorcycle was recovered hidden in a cassava plantation. However, as the police zeroed in on the home of the suspects, they fled the scene, and a manhunt was underway by press time.
CATTLE RUSTLER HELD
Meanwhile, a suspected cattle rustler was apprehended in Malera village, Bukedea, after a police sniffer dog named Berlin tracked the scent for five kilometres to the home where the suspect had hidden five head of cattle and three sheep.
Solomon Adengo, the owner of the animals, reported the theft to the police, and in the process, Nathan Obukulem, the suspect, was arrested and booked into detention under reference number SD04/21/2022.
In all, there were 23 arrests made, and several items were recovered countrywide through the deployment of tracking dogs. Dr Martin Mugume, the Police Canine Unit commander, said the use of dogs has greatly eased police work but noted the force is working to have a dog at every police station.
“They [tracking dogs] are having a positive impact on communities, who in turn have improved their trust in the force,” he said.
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