How suspected armed robbers allegedly orchestrated, stole sh135m

A 27-year-old salesman and driver at Romis Wine Company allegedly planned and hired a soldier and robbed Herbert Deus Muwayire of sh135m.

Detective Inspector of Police Juliet Namutebi has testified before the General Court Martial (GCM) at Makindye in Kampala, saying Joseph Eyebu aka Affande Kerekere first met his co-accused for a meeting at Bat Valley in Kampala, before the said mission was completed.

Eyebu, 27, a resident of Kisingiri Zone, Bunamwaya Ssabagabo Municipality in Wakiso district, is charged alongside AX OO6918 Private Isma Mutebi, 34, attached to Reserve Force and aboding at Sumbwe Bulenga village, Nsangi Sub-county in Wakiso.

Other co-accused are businessman Festo Tumushabe, 29, Habib Lwasa, 32, a resident of Kasubi Zone III in Rubaga Division, Richard Karungi, 29, Peter Kawuki, 27, and Didas Tugume, 42, an accountant at Praise Distributors Ltd in Ndeeba Kampala.

“At Bat Valley, Eyabu told Tushabe that his boss (Muwayire) has a lot of money, several businesses and that at times, he moves with a lot in his vehicle, and mostly on public holidays,” Namutebi said.

She added that Eyabu inquired from Tushabe if he had any friends in the armed forces who would help them during the said robbery.

“If the boss was confronted with a gun, he will easily run away and live the money,” the witness said, insisting that she got all that information from Eyabu’s charge and caution statement she recorded from him.

The two separated and Mutebi later visited Tushabe, who narrated to him about the deal.

“In their discussion, Mutebi said he knew an army friend at Kasubi Police Station, who used to rescue his businesses from KCCA officials. Tushabe inquired whether Eyabu’s boss had a bodyguard, and the trio later meant at Kasubi,” testified the witness.

That after the said meeting, the trio agreed on fulfilling their robber mission but needed a vehicle as Eyabu assured them that his boss had no bodyguard.

“Eyabu rang his friends Kawuki, Karungi, and Tugume and they agreed to meet at Kasubi. Before they all met, Eyabu took Tushabe and showed him, who his boss (Muwayire) was,” said Namutebi.

She added, “As Eyabu showed Tushabe the victim, he (Muwayire) saw Tushabe hiding his face. Later Tushabe requested to know where the victim resided and they moved along Entebbe Road at Batabata and Joseph showed them the victim’s home.”

According to the witness, when the accused met at Kasubi, “They contributed money to hire a car, agreed to meet again, and hired two motor vehicles on October 9, 2019.”

Victim attacked

The witness told court that after getting vehicles, the accused agreed to meet again the following day, they met and planned the attack.

“They divided themselves into two groups, Tugume drove one vehicle and its occupants were; Kawuki, Lwasa, and Kalungi. Tushabe also drove another with Mutebi.

During the attack, Eyabu used another vehicle and he was ahead, he showed the thieves the victim but Kawuki and Lwasa were in army uniforms,” said Namutebi Tuesday.

She averred that after an hour, Eyabu received a call from Kawuki that the mission was accomplished.

“After their robbery, Mutebi took back the hired vehicle, Kawuki gave Tushabe ‘a kavera’ with cake, juice, and shillings 20 million. Tushabe later called Mutebi asking how much he was given but he got no reply.

After some time, Tushabe was arrested by plain cloth operatives, taken to Bulenga Police Station, then to Central Police Station in Kampala, and then to the Special Investigations Berea Kireka,” the witness added.

She said it was after Tushabe’s arrest that he revealed his accomplices, leading to the arrest of all his co-accused, charging them with aggravated robbery.

Defence objects to charge and caution statement 

Upon cross-examination, the defence objected to the tendering of the said charge and caution statement that Namutebi based her witness.

“The accused (Tushabe) to which the said statement was derived does not understand English, the language it was recorded. We, therefore, object to it,” defence lawyer Captain Nsubuga Busagwa submitted.

This prompted CGM chairperson Gen Mugabe, to adjourn the case to August 29, 2023, to rule on the matter.

Kidnapped and dumped in a forest

In his testimony, a teary Muwayire earlier this year testified before the same court, saying armed men kidnapped him, robbed him of shillings 135 million and dumped him in a forest in Kassanda district.

"They dragged me out of my car and put me in theirs, a Toyota Premio UAX 592H and drove away to places unknown to me as I was tied with ropes," he said.

The charge

Charged with aggravated robbery, the prosecution alleges that Mutebi, Tumushabe, Lwasa, Eyebu, Kalungi, Kawuki, Tugume and others still at large, on or around October 2018 while at Bwebajja village, Kajjansi town Council in Wakiso district robbed Herbert Deus Muwayire of cash shillings 135 million.

That during the same place and time, the accused also robbed motor vehicle Reg No. UAW 169N double Cabin, a wristwatch, and 02 Infinix mobile phones and, immediately, before or after the time of the said robbery were in possession of a deadly weapon to wit; a pistol S/NO. Star 15-CN0232134005, the said pistol being ordinarily a monopoly of the Defence Forces.

The charge of aggravated robbery contravenes Sections 285 and 286 (2) of the Penal Code Act, Cap 120, and attracts a life in-prison sentence upon conviction.