The usually quiet town of Soroti was awakened to the sound of bullets on Tuesday afternoon as the Police and a suspected thug exchanged heavy gun fire.

The exchange which lasted about 30 minutes, threw the town in fear.

Onlookers watched in confusion as security guards at the entrance of banks on the main streets paced up and down as they hastily took defence positions.

The last time residents heard that kind of scary shootout was at the height of the LRA invasion in Teso in 2003. The incident comes only months after security agencies issued a terror alert countrywide.

Residents express fear

"I have not heard such gunshots in the middle of the town in a long time. I thought the town had been besieged by rebels," Mr Jimmy Eribu, one of the bystanders, said.

Police spokesperson for mid-eastern region Juma Hassan Nyene told journalists at the district Police headquarters moments after the incident that: "The shootout ensued from pursuit of a UPDF deserter who had been eluding security agencies after stealing guns in 2006."

Mr Nyene identified the deserter as Mr Moses Onyaga and said the culprit had also served as a militia of the Arrow Group and a guard to State Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Musa Ecweru.

Thug in UPDF store

Mr Nyene said the thug broke into one of the UPDF arms store (in Soroti) and stole two guns, adding that they have been hunting for him.

"He is a dangerous person. We will handle his case appropriately," he added.

He said the Police are on the lookout for any security threats in the region.

The Police recently carried out a census of Somali nationals conducting business in Teso.

The commander of Operation Restore Hope activities in Teso, meant to rid the sub-region of illegal guns, Capt. Jeff Emojong, said Mr Onyaga would be charged in the military court for desertion and breaking into UPDF armoury.