Kayanja Arrests Captain In Kiboga

COL. Elly Kayanja (above), commander of Operation Wembley, mounted a surprise night swoop in Kiboga on Friday and arrested the commander of the UPDF detachment there, Capt. John Masembe.Fred Kayizzi and Eddie Ssejjoba report that Masembe was arrested along with 10 other people, one of them a special Police constable, for allegedly collaborating with armed robbers.Four guns were recovered during the operation, three of them from Capt. Masembe. Sources said Masembe was holding the guns illegally.One of the guns was recovered from one of the suspects, a policeman at Kirangira Police post, John Semaganda.Security sources said the operation which lasted till dawn, was mounted in Kiboga town council, Kibiga and Kapeke sub-counties. About 40 litres of stolen petrol was also impounded.The petrol had allegedly been siphoned from vehicles belonging to Stirling International, which is constructing Busunju-Hoima road.Sources said there was a stampede at Kirinda village in Kapeke sub-county as the security operatives fired in the air when a suspect, Juma, escaped.Juma, a suspected notorious armed robber, slipped away from Kayanja’s men as he led them to a place where he said he had hidden an illegal gun.Kayanja also carried out a similar operation in neighbouring Mityana sub-district in Mubende the following day. He netted several suspected armed thugs in Masaka district, including two UPDF officers. Lt. Rashid Kawaawa of Bombo army headquarters and his escort, Adam Sserubugo, were arrested from Mbiriizi trading centre and Kiwangala respectively. Another armed suspect, Sgt. Aloysius Kankaka, was picked from Buyaga in Kyanamukaaka. He was suspected to have been terrorising fishermen at Namirembe landing site. He was arrested together with the area parish chief, Joseph Mukofu and four others who included Anthony Mayanja, John Makumbi and two youth.Lt. Kawaawa recently tipped the Police that a taxi broker, Yusuf Ssebbowa, had hired him at sh1.5m to murder his neighbour, Ventino Ssali. The taxi man was arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder. Col. Kayanja said Kawaawa had been wanted on two criminal cases.He said Kawaawa also extorted money from residents, claiming he was an operative working under Operation Wembly. “ I have been looking for that soldier after getting complaints from several people, and we are still trying to establish whether he is not a deserter,” Kayanja said. Kawaawa, however, said he had gone to Bulassana to demand for sh500,000 he had been promised by Ssali for saving his life.Kayanja has arrested a number of soldiers, including the UPDF director of sports, Capt. Kabusenene, for suspected armed robbery.The suspects are due to be court martialled.Ends