By Tolit Ivan & Omony Denis
At least 22 youth have been arrested for presenting fake documents at the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) recruitment exercise for West Acholi and West Nile sub regions.
Six were arrested during the recruitment exercise for West Acholi Sub region that ended on Wednesday at Pece War Memorial Stadium in Gulu City.
The suspects, aged between 19-21, were arrested for presenting fake academic documents and were immediately handed over to police.
10 others were arrested from Adjumani and 6 from Yumbe districts. The six arrested from Yumbe district, all male, had presented forged national identification to join the army, according to security.
Meanwhile, 150 youths were disqualified from the exercise at Pece War Memorial Stadium after they tested positive for Hepatitis B and hemorrhoids.
The army had allocated 38 slots for Gulu City, 21 slots for Gulu District, and 36 for Omoro District.
Captain Ahmed Hassan Kato, the UPDF Fourth Division Public Information Officer told journalists that 94 applicants were recruited and immediately taken to the training ground in Kaweweta.
The Army intends to recruit a total of 9,600 soldiers into its infantry forces to bolster the current over 46,000 active personnel capacity according to statistics from the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs.
