By Tolit Ivan & Agency
Security have confirmed the arrest of a key suspect in connection to the theft of a motor vehicle allocated to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in Gulu city.
The vehicle Reg. No UBE 639F Toyota Land Cruiser hard body donated by USAID went missing on Feb, 12, 2026 from the hospital compound.
The suspect identified as Paul Apite, a driver with USAID, was arrested on Sunday from a local drinking joint in Senior quarter Cell, Laroo-Pece Division, Gulu City.
His arrest follows a review of CCTV footage allegedly placing him at the hospital compound on the night the vehicle went missing.
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.
Peter Banya, the deputy resident City Commissioner in charge of Laroo-Pece division, confirmed the arrest but said the vehicle is yet to be found.
Earlier, police picked five suspects including two drivers and three askaris attacked to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, a day after the vehicle went missing.
Joseph Karugaba, Gulu City Police Commander, confirmed Apie’s arrest and said 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.
This is not the first time that a vehicle donated to a referral hospital by development partners have disappeared mysteriously and staff are implicated.
In 2021 two vehicles including an ambulance were stolen from Arua Regional Referral Hospital and later sold to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo where they were later recovered.
Later, five people including a Dental Assistant, a security guard at the hospital, a driver of the Hospital, a driver attached to the Office of the Prime Minister and were arrested, and they confessed to selling the ambulance to DRC.
