'They drove away thinking I had died'

Jan 19, 2017

A man in Mukono tells of how he was attacked by ironbar-wielding robbers right outside his home.

PIC: Car theft suspects arrested in Mukono last week and forwarded to Kampala for further interrogation. (Credit: Henry Nsubuga)

CENTRAL UGANDA - There is a huge public outcry in Mukono over the rise in criminal acts including car theft and house break-ins, with one resident telling of how he was attacked and robbed at his home and left for dead.

Ironbar hitmen are also said to terrorize bodaboda riders in the district.

As many as six vehicles were reported stolen last month, said Ibrah Batasi, the officer in charge of crimes at Mukono Police Division.

Three of them have since been recovered, he added. Of the other three that have not been found yet belongs to Mukono Central Division councilor Charles Kunobwa Kiyegga.

He said it was stolen from his home by "a group of three people armed with machetes and a gun".

"I was awakened at about 3:37am as they were just starting my car and left. I immediately reported to Police but to-date, it has not yet been recovered," said Kiyegga.

Police arrested a number of suspects linked to the theft and they were handed to the flying squad in Kampala for interrogation.

Sources told New Vision they were last week forwarded back to Mukono Police Station before being taken to court which remanded them to Kauga Prison.

The Toyota Noah belonging to Mukono Central Division councilor Charles Kunobwa Kiyegga was stolen


‘They thought I had died'

Kiyegga is not the only victim to have fallen prey to such crime.

Precious Suuna, a resident of Bajjo village in Goma division, Mukono Municipality said her car was stolen late December last year.

He was repeatedly hit using iron bars as his car was forcefully taken away from him, leaving him with serious injuries to the head, he said.

Suuna said the thieves ambushed him at the gate of his home and knocked him out with an iron bar.

"They found me entering the car to drive it inside after opening the gate. I identified Aziz Muwonge who first held me and called the others who started hitting me with the iron bars. They drove away thinking I had died, fortunately I was found and rushed to hospital."

The man Suuna (left) identified - Aziz Muwonge - is reportedly a notorious car thief who has once before been arrested by police and released uncharged.

Mukono police's Batasi said that the first time Muwonge was arrested, he was later released from Kampala when he was summoned by police bosses.

Recently, Muwonge and Bogere Kasimaggwa, nicknamed ‘Beast', were arrested in January in Lugazi and charged with stealing Suuna's car, among other cases.

Lameck Kigozi, the Police publicist in charge of Ssezibwa Region said the two suspects were forwarded to Mukono Police where they committed the offence to face the charges.

In a meeting convened by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Fred Yiga at Satellite beach recently, residents complained about the Police's failure to curb crime in the area.

 
Residents alleged that some bosses at Mukono Police connive with the thieves and release them uncharged after being compromised.

In response, Yiga assigned the flying squad to work-hand-in-hand with Police to see that car robbers and other dangerous thieves in Mukono are eliminated.

Sharon Alema, the flying squad officer in charge of investigation from the headquarters, said they have arrested a number of suspected car robbers and assured the residents that in a short while, the situation will be normalized.

She urged people to report to Police immediately after their cars have been stolen, saying their work cannot be efficient if they get information late.

"Some of the cars stolen in Uganda are taken to our neighbouring countries, and so if we delay and get information when they have already crossed the borders, it weakens our efforts to recover such vehicles."

Handcuffed car theft suspects, from left, Aziz Muwonge (first picture); and Brian Mubiru (in green) and Moses Nsubuga (in second picture). (Credit: Henry Nsubuga)


Kalanzi Kamba, nicknamed Kabaka King, is among the notorious car robbers in Mukono. He is currently on remand at Luzira Prison.  Others who are in Muwonge's group arrested last week by the police flying squad from Butebe village are: Kidda, Brian Buyinza alias Rasta, Hassan Maje and Alex Mutujju.

Sources in Police say that the above suspects are also on charges of aggravated robbery, murder and rape.

 

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