Mbarara Police probe ‘Cobra’
Jul 31, 2003
THE Police in Mbarara have instituted an inquiry into the atrocities Muhammad Katamba alias Cobra allegedly confessed to a congregation at All Saints Church, Mbarara
THE Police in Mbarara have instituted an inquiry into the atrocities Muhammad Katamba alias Cobra allegedly confessed to a congregation at All Saints Church, Mbarara, writes Vision Reporter.
The district Police chief, Wilson Kwanya, on Tuesday said, “We have started the inquiries. We have sent our team to Cobra’s church to confirm and give details of the press reports about the crimes he confessed.â€
Last Monday, the 27-year-old Cobra reportedly confessed having murdered so many people that he could not remember. He reportedly said he had robbed and terrorised people for years in Kampala. Cobra reportedly named 76 accomplishes in his underworld of crime.
Kwanya said they had press cuttings of the reported confessions.
The south-western regional CID chief, Terence Kinyera, criticised the Vicar of All Saints Church, the Rev. Can. Francis Mutatiina, for asking the Police not to get involved in Cobra’s issue. Mutatiina said this would scare away sinners from repenting. He baptised Cobra as Paul during a fellowship on Friday.
But Kinyera said, “The church has its own way of handling sinners and we - the Police, have got ours. We are interested in the crimes that Cobra claimed to have committed. Religion cannot be mixed with the law.â€
He Kinyera cited the case of the late Kabale district executive secretary, Ben Rwakatogoro, who got saved and confessed to embezzling district money.
“The man refunded the money but he was arrested, tried and jailed. It was President Yoweri Museveni who later pardoned him,†he said.
The district Police chief, Wilson Kwanya, on Tuesday said, “We have started the inquiries. We have sent our team to Cobra’s church to confirm and give details of the press reports about the crimes he confessed.â€
Last Monday, the 27-year-old Cobra reportedly confessed having murdered so many people that he could not remember. He reportedly said he had robbed and terrorised people for years in Kampala. Cobra reportedly named 76 accomplishes in his underworld of crime.
Kwanya said they had press cuttings of the reported confessions.
The south-western regional CID chief, Terence Kinyera, criticised the Vicar of All Saints Church, the Rev. Can. Francis Mutatiina, for asking the Police not to get involved in Cobra’s issue. Mutatiina said this would scare away sinners from repenting. He baptised Cobra as Paul during a fellowship on Friday.
But Kinyera said, “The church has its own way of handling sinners and we - the Police, have got ours. We are interested in the crimes that Cobra claimed to have committed. Religion cannot be mixed with the law.â€
He Kinyera cited the case of the late Kabale district executive secretary, Ben Rwakatogoro, who got saved and confessed to embezzling district money.
“The man refunded the money but he was arrested, tried and jailed. It was President Yoweri Museveni who later pardoned him,†he said.