The New Year took a deadly turn of events in Yumbe district’s Romogi sub-county, as 20-year-old Saffi Apelli lost his life after being allegedly shot by Police officers while attempting to thwart a disco at Kiiri trading center, sparking an outcry and raising questions about the use of force by law enforcement.
Romogi chairperson Muhammad Pagu shared the heartbreaking news that Apelli, a resident of Kippe village in Lochombo parish, succumbed to excessive internal bleeding at Arua Regional Referral Hospital on Wednesday morning. The young man had been shot in the left arm, with the bullet penetrating through his stomach, causing severe injuries that ultimately led to his demise.
The sequence of events unfolded as Apelli was swiftly taken to Bidibidi Health Centre III and subsequently referred to Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital. Due to the gravity of his condition, Apelli was then transferred to Arua Regional Referral Hospital, where he breathed his last.
Pagu shed light on the circumstances leading to the tragic incident. He revealed that Romogi sub-county had a standing bylaw prohibiting night discos in the area. Despite this, on New Year’s Day, the youth organized a night disco without obtaining the necessary permission. The sub-county chairperson faulted the organizers for not informing the authorities about the event and noted that when the police learned about it around 10:00 pm on January 1, 2024, attempts were made to negotiate with the organizers to cancel the disco.
However, negotiations proved futile, prompting two police officers, PC Geoffrey Oloya and PC Ochaya Andrew from Romogi Police post, to intervene at around 2:00 am on January 2, 2024. The situation quickly escalated as the crowd turned violent, leading the officers to resort to firing in the air to disperse the crowd. Unfortunately, amidst the chaos, Apelli suffered a critical gunshot wound.
Acting spokesperson Ignatius Dragundu of the North West Nile Police region confirmed the arrest of the two involved police officers. PC Geoffrey Oloya and PC Ochaya Andrew are currently detained at Yumbe Central Police Station, facing charges of unlawfully shooting civilians. Investigations are underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the use of lethal force.
