Police busts racket with stolen UMEME property

By Moses Lemisa

Police have busted a racket in Kalerwe, a Kampala suburb that has been vandalizing Umeme property including high voltage cables.

Following a tip off, Police at Mulago police station swung into action on Thursday and raided a home in Lower Nsooba, Kyebando, a Kampala suburb where they found a group of youth unbinding Umeme cables.

The gang fled on seeing the Police, but one suspect, Brian Bagonza`was nabbed and named the others.
As fate would have it, Bagonza, who trades in sponges, confessed that they work on the orders of a boss in Umeme called Abdu Wamala.

Bagonza further confessed that the owners of the home passed away and left it with their children who are abroad. He said the house is in care of Shamula Nankya who is given some money every time they bring in new loot.

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Plain-clothed Police take away the cables they found at the home

The officer in charge of Kapaapali police station in Kyebando, Ashim Kasinga, said they had received several complaints regarding vandalism of electricity wires but had not been lucky in arresting anyone until Thursday.

Brian said most of the loot is actually brought by Umeme staff that get it from homes that have not cleared their bills.

Police recovered cables that run along electricity poles, those used to connect metre boxes and insulating materials, among others.