Police in Koboko district, West Nile region have arrested three suspects including a former South Sudanese rebel in a sting operation to crack down armed robberies in the region.

According to police, the South Sudanese national identified as Thomas Vita along side two others called Sunday Moses and Abuyi Ramusa have been leading a notorious criminal gang of armed robbers who have been terrorising residents in the region.

In a statement by the regional police spokesperson Josephine Angucia, police and sister security agencies have been tracking this gang until this Tuesday when their tactical team arrested Sunday Moses and Abuyi Ramusa.

They found them in possession of two rifles number AK 47. 58038020 with 11 rounds of ammunition and another one number AK 47. 38020 with one magazine and 09 rounds of live ammunition.

Upon arrest, they confessed to be led by a one Thomas Vita aged 30 years, a Kakwa from South Sudan and resident of Wakile village Ayipe parish Kuluba Sub-county Koboko district. "He was tracked down and arrested on a tip off from the concerned citizens."

"On interrogation, Thomas Vita revealed that he has been a former NAS (National Army for Salvation) rebel from South Sudan who defected and crossed into Uganda with two rifles and hid them in a bush at Kagoropa village Ayipe parish Kuluba sub county, Koboko district during the month of February 2023 and they later turned them into use for survival," Angucia said.

The suspects were also found in possession of numerous suspected items and other government stores including combat boots and camouflage uniforms.