Residents discover bed in Iganga sugarcane plantation, one arrested
“Ali saw an unidentified man entering the sugarcane plantation in the evening (Tuesday), and the man never came back. This made Ali suspicious, and he alerted us,” Kakaire narrated.
The well-laid bed, which appeared to have been used for some time, was discovered in a sugar cane plantation in a swamp at the border of Iganga and Mayuge districts. (Credit: Ivan Wakibi)
IGANGA - Residents at Nawanzu village in Nakigo sub-county, Iganga district, were gripped with shock and fear after discovering bedding materials in a sugarcane plantation near an area where criminals regularly attack residents.
The well-laid bed, which appeared to have been used for some time, was discovered in a sugar cane plantation in a swamp at the border of Iganga and Mayuge districts.
The materials included a mat, a polythen sack, curtains, women's clothes, bed sheets, a toothbrush and a smartphone.
Iduma Kakaire, a resident of Nawanzu, said the bedding materials were discovered after one of their village members, who was only identified as Ali, saw a man entering the plantation on Tuesday evening.
“Ali saw an unidentified man entering the sugarcane plantation in the evening (Tuesday), and the man never came back. This made Ali suspicious, and he alerted us,” Kakaire narrated.
The Nawanzu village chairperson, Hussein Babala, said various crimes have been committed in the area, with criminals usually hitting bodaboda riders and taking their bikes.
He said there have also been cases of men raping school girls and women who pass near the spot.
Babala expressed concern that they called police officers from the nearby Buligo police station, but they declined to visit the scene. “The officers asked for money for fuel to visit the scene, which residents refused to mobilise,” the chairperson noted.
Jamal Mudubo, a boda boda rider and resident of Bubugo village, lost part of his hand when criminals waylaid him at the spot. According to Mudubo, “the thugs left me writhing in pain before they sped off with my motorcycle.”
Mudubo, who is currently jobless after losing his motorcycle, asked for support from well-wishers, saying he has a family with children to look after.
Following pressure from local leaders, police detectives from Iganga police station arrived at the scene and documented it.
Later on, one of the Nawanzu residents, Yazid Byakika, claimed the properties belonged to him, arguing that they had been stolen after thieves broke into his house last week.
However, residents were shocked when Byakika said he had not reported the incident to police. Police later went with the items and Byakika for further investigations into the matter.
The Nakigo sub-county chairperson, Ayub Basenga, appealed to residents to always report theft cases to avoid being implicated when authorities discover items later.