By KT Reporter
Police in Gulu City have arrested a driver attached to USAID Uganda Health Activity in connection with the theft of a vehicle belonging to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. The suspect, identified as Paul Apie, was picked up over the weekend and is currently detained at Gulu Central Police Station. His arrest follows a review of CCTV footage allegedly placing him at the hospital compound on the night the vehicle went missing.
The stolen vehicle, a white Toyota Land Cruiser hard-body (registration UBE 639F, red NGO plate), was reportedly driven out of the hospital parking yard on February 10, 2026, at about 8:20 p.m. The matter was formally reported to police on February 12 (SD Ref: 146/12/02/2026). The vehicle had been donated in 2022 under the USAID RHITES-N (Regional Health Integration to Enhance Services in North Acholi) programme to support hospital outreach activities.
Walter Uryek-Wun, the hospital Principal Administrator, said the vehicle disappeared on the night of February 10 after the designated driver returned from Kampala with an ambulance. CCTV footage showed a man in black clothing, shoes, and a cap carrying a bag entering the compound, tampering with the vehicle, and successfully driving it out at 8:20 p.m. Uryek-Wun raised concerns about possible internal lapses, noting the vehicle’s GPS tracking device had been disconnected earlier that morning.
Initially, police arrested five other suspects, including three night security guards and two drivers who had previously used the vehicle, but their identities were withheld to protect the investigation. Uryek-Wun described the theft as a major setback for hospital outreach across the Acholi sub-region, saying some planned activities will now need to be rescheduled.
Joseph Karugaba, Gulu City Police Commander, confirmed Apie’s arrest and said detectives are still tracing the vehicle’s whereabouts. He added that police are working closely with USAID UHA officials to recover it. A joint security team of police, hospital administrators, and USAID officials was holding an emergency meeting at the hospital, with the suspect present for further inquiries by the time of filing this story.
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