Chris Obore
2 January 2002
Police in Mbale have arrested a UPDF lieutenant, Santos Odongo, in relation to the killing of an American missionary in Mbale on Friday.
Eastern region CID boss, Haruna Ntambi told The Monitor that Odongo was arrested after police mounted several roadblocks.
The missionary, Michael Stachofsky was gunned down at his residence in Mbale Municipality's senior quarters.
Lt. Odongo is the first suspect to be arrested over the murder, which has shocked many locals and the Christian community because of the humanitarian work the late Stachofsky has been doing.
"We got him without proper identification. He was previously jailed over robbery in Jinja and he was in Mbale at the time of the offence (murder)," Ntambi said. Odongo is reportedly based in army headquarters in Bombo and his presence in Mbale was questionable.
The CID chief said though there is no direct evidence linking Odongo to the murder, his record is bad and that he has been in and out of prison for robbery.
He said they are going to examine Lt. Odongo's fingerprints and see whether they resemble those of Stachofsky's killers.
Odongo reportedly hails from Lira district where Stachofsky started his work as a missionary before relocating to Mbale last year.
Stachofsky was yesterday buried in Lira.
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