Hoima police are investigating a synchronised gang of criminals for being involved in siphoning fuel from an equipment unit used in the construction of roads in the city and selling it on black market.
This is after reports emerged that a syndicate of thieves is stealing fuel from road equipment belonging to China Railway18th Group Ltd that is paving 4.5km of roads.
The Hoima City East Division Deputy Resident City Commissioner, Mr William Donato Kasigazi, says security agents in the city are in receipt of the Shs30b project being sabotaged through fuel thieving revealing that investigations into the matter are underway to apprehend the culprits.
He continues that security has a video clip in which three people were captured siphoning fuel from road equipment in the city disclosing that one person has so far been apprehended to assist the police and furnish it with information that will lead to the arrest of the chain of crooks involved in fuel siphoning.
The RCC He adds that some fuel is being sold on black market at some selling points in Hoima with the act orchestrated between workers of China Railway 18th Group and their exterior criminals in the city; stressing that the criminality will affect the quality of the roads being polished in the city.
Mr Kasigazi urges responsible people to join security by being chief monitors of all projects in their areas since they are meant to benefit them for socio-economic improvement and positive transformation of society.
Hoima received Shs30b from the World Bank in February 2022 to fund the upgrading of the city roads from gravel to bitumen under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) project.
The18th-month road construction is projected to be completed in October 2023.
