Three fishermen are feared dead after they jumped into Lake Albert to avoid arrest by Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) personnel, suspecting them of illegal fishing.
The incident occurred when the UPDF unit attempted to apprehend the fishermen during their suspected illegal fishing activities. On Wednesday, Richard Onen, Samson Jatho, Godfrey Obedirwoth, and Muzamil Jakisa, all from Mbegu B landing site in Kabale sub-county, were fishing on the lake.
The FPU personnel, under the command of Corporal Siraj Katosi, patrolling the lake, arrested the fishermen, accusing them of using illegal fishing gear. The suspects were taken to the FPU detach at Kasio landing site.
However, while on the lake, all the suspects jumped into Lake Albert’s waters in an attempt to escape detention. Jakisa managed to swim to the shores, as reported by the FPU, while the other three are suspected to have drowned.
Moses Onen, the LCI chairperson for Mbegu B landing site, revealed that after a search conducted by local fishermen, Onen’s body was found floating near the Mbegu landing site on Thursday, November 9. The bodies of the other two men remain missing.
“We managed to get Jakisa alive, but the three drowned and died in the water. We retrieved the body of one person as we searched for the other two bodies from the lake,” said Moses Onen.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region Police spokesperson, stated that marine police and fishermen are collaborating in the search for the two missing bodies.
