London, July 22, 2018 (AltAfrica)-A mob of angry villagers killed three Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers attached to a customs base near the border with DR Congo, authorities confirmed.

Police said the soldiers attached to the Vurra Customs Army base in Arua District, were suspected of robbery with violence.

The incident occurred on Saturday night at Pelele Village.

Police in Arua identified the dead soldiers, who were reportedly intercepted by a mob after a cyclist sounded an alarm indicating that they had plotted to rob him.

The West Nile police spokesperson, Ms Josephine Angucia, said it was still not clear what the soldiers were doing 8km away from their base.

She confirmed that their bodies have taken to Arua Regional Referral Hospital awaiting a post mortem.

Arrested and detained

Three guns with 90 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the scene of the attack on Sunday morning and handed over to the police at Logiri Sub County.

Meanwhile, eight people have been arrested and detained at Arua police station to help with the investigations.

Arua Resident District Commissioner Peter Debele confirmed the deaths, but declined to divulge details on grounds that investigations were still ongoing.

According to some sources, the soldiers underestimated the reaction of the locals who surrounded them and handed over their guns to the angry mob who later clobbered them to death.

The police say Pelele Village has been known for armed robberies.

TEA