Robbers strangle, burn victims to death
Oct 22, 2010
MOST victims of the car robbery gang were killed using painful but noiseless methods such as strangling, hitting the head with a hammer and stabbing. At least 10 victims have been identified and all were killed using these methods, according to the suspects’ confessions.
By J. Semakula and J. Kabengwa
MOST victims of the car robbery gang were killed using painful but noiseless methods such as strangling, hitting the head with a hammer and stabbing. At least 10 victims have been identified and all were killed using these methods, according to the suspects’ confessions.
The robbers distribute roles so that different individuals are responsible for luring the victim, killing, disposing off the bodies and selling the car.
Steven Ashaba, former manager with Movit
The chief robber, Robert Ssempebwa alias Kazahura, was arrested with several colleagues. He made friends with Ashaba and when he went missing, Kazahura was among the first people his wife, Rose, contacted. He appeared concerned and even joined in the search.
Rose said her husband left home on May 21 for work and never returned. She said he had never slept out before. Early in the morning, she informed the deceased’s friends, including Kazahura. After two weeks of the restless search, his rotting body was found in a thicket at Kasanja-Nakawuka. Robbers had mutilated him and removed his private parts to mislead Police into suspecting human sacrifice.
Ashaba grew up in Kasese before coming to Kampala. He first ran a retail shop at Nyanama, before Grace Birungi, the proprietor of Movit, gave him a job.
Geoffrey Nyanzi, former special hire driver
Nyanzi was strangled to death on Oct 26, 2006, before his vehicle, a Toyota Corona, UAE 367P, was robbed. His wife, Mariam Namakula, said Ssempebwa, had befriended her husband and must have lured him into a trap.
According to Namakula, Ssempebwa lured Nyanzi into a car deal. He offered to sell a new Toyota Corona to Nyanzi at sh11m. Nyanzi was also to surrender his old Toyota Corona to Ssempebwa as part of the payment.
After paying part of the money and handing over his old car, Nyanzi was told he would get the new car’s log book after paying the full amount.
When Nyanzi got the balance, he called Ssempebwa and took it there. He was never seen alive again.
After waiting for him for a day in vain, they reported the matter to the Police, searched hospitals and Police stations in the city and ran several announcements on radio stations. A few days later, his body was found in Masuliita. Unfortunately, when they rushed to Masuliita, they found the body had been removed by the Police and taken to Mulago Hospital. In Mulago, it had been buried by KCC. They had to pay money for it to be exhumed. A medical report showed that Nyanzi died of suffocation.
A week later, Ssempebwa went to the deceased’s widow and demanded sh500,000 which he said was money the late owed him. She was surprised to learn later that Ssempebwa and his group had confessed to killing her husband
Augustine Kiganda
His body was discovered at Nsangi, on Masaka Road, severely deformed by suspected acid. His wife, Faridah Nakimuli, said they identified his body from the trouser he was wearing.
Kazawula and his colleagues recently confessed that they killed Kiganda to rob him of his Premio, UAK 254K. The Police recovered the car and it is parked at Katwe Police Station.
Azaria Kafuluma
Former special hire driver Kafuluma had just been introduced by his fiancé, Lydia Nafuna, only to disappear from his workplace at Kajjansi stage on July 12. He was doing special hire using his own vehicle, an Ipsum, UAN 395L. Robbers hired him and later killed him. His body was found in a bush in Buwama. His father, George Kiribedda, said one of Kafuluma’s eyes had been scooped out by his killers. The body also had a wound on the neck, his hands were fractured and the skin had peeled off.
Michael Mugambi
Former special hire driver
His widow, Ruth Mugambi, said her husband was hit with a hammer in 2008 before robbers took off with his Corona UAH 124W.
Two men hired him from his stage at about 6:30pm and that was the last he was seen alive. His body was later found at Kakiri on Hoima Road after residents used his mobile phone to inform his relatives.
Mugambi’s car was later found with two UPDF soldiers identified as Robert Ssebunya and Franco Nyamutuswangana. Mugambi, who was a resident of Kisalosalo zone in Kyebando, left behind a wife and six children.
Siraje Kaweesa
Former special hire driver
He was a resident of Mugowa Zone in Bwaise. Kawesa was hired from his stage by the robbers on May 25, 2009. He was driving a Corona, UAG 934V. His body was found dumped in a bush in Watubba village, near Matugga. The body’s legs and hands were found tied tightly together.
Survivors narrate chilling ordeal
They abandoned me in a forest
Stephen Sserunkuuma,
Special-hire driver, Wandegeya Stage
I live in Kyebando. In August 2007, at about 8:00pm, two men hired me to drive them to Lugala. I had a Toyota Corsa, UAH 174U.
When we reached Lugala, the man who was seated in the back seat suddenly threw a rope around my neck and strangled me. I tried to fight him off, but slowly lost energy.
They then used the same rope to tie my arms and legs, took me to the forest by the roadside and tied me to one of the trees, before driving off.
When I regained energy, I managed to untie myself and run along the Northern by-pass till I came to a residence housing road workers who were building the Northern by-pass. They took me to the nearest Police station in Lugala. My car has not been found.
I reported to Police and was
instead arrested Abbas Kasule,
Special-hire driver, Wandegeya stage
In October 2008, some men hired me to take them to Kabalagala, a city suburb. When we reached a supermarket, one of the men asked me to branch off at a junction, claiming he wanted to pick his wife and take her somewhere. We parked outside a home with a wall fence.
He entered the fence and later emerged with two men holding guns.
They put me on gun-point and took my car keys. They bundled me up and drove me around for most of the night until we reached Kansanga, where they abandoned me. They drove off with my Toyota Kikumi. I reported the case at the Kabalagala Police Station, but to my surprise, I was locked up for a whole week.
They tied me to a tree in Ssemuto
Edriisa Ntamu, Special hire driver,
Wandegeya stage
I was approached by a couple at our stage and asked to drive them to Nansana, a city suburb. The lady was weeping profusely and her boyfriend told me she had just received the news of her father’s death. It was about 3:00am, August 27, 2007. On the way, the man made a call to certain people, asking them to bring him oil and a blanket.
We proceeded to Namungoona and picked some people whom the man had called to join us. He then said we drive on to Wakiso, instead, and agreed to pay sh50,000. However, along the way, they asked me to stop the car so they make short calls. When I did, they put me on gun-point and warned me not to make any alarm.
They tied my legs and arms and drove to a bushy area in Ssemuto, where they tied me to a tree. It was the residents who spotted me the following day and rescued me. I reported the case to the Police in Matugga. My car, a Toyota Kikumi, UAE 430E, was later found abandoned in Nakulabye.
They abandoned me in a sugarcane
plantation Abdul Kalwanyi Driver at
Kalerwe special hire stage
A man hired me from the stage near Mawanda Road and said he needed to purchase a used tractor tyre from Nabugabo Road. When we reached Nabugabo, he offered me more money to continue to Lugazi, where someone would sell him a new tyre more cheaply. When we reached Lugazi, we found a man on the road and my passenger asked me to stop, saying that was the man going to sell him the tyre. It was coming to dusk. When I stopped, two men with guns emerged from the sugar cane plantation and ordered me to surrender the keys. They tied my arms and legs and drove farther into the plantation, where they abandoned me at about 10:00pm. I was picked up by sugarcane workers the next morning. I reported the case to the Lugazi Police station.
I overpowered them, but Police
released him
Issa Kizito, Special hire driver, Wandegeya
On November 29, last year, two men hired me from my work station in Wandegeya at about 7:00pm. They said they were taking some items to their father.
But as soon as we reached Hotel Africana, the man who was sitting behind threw a rope around my neck and strangled me. His colleague tried to assist, but we fought till I overpowered them and the guy in the front seat took off when the Police arrived.
His colleague was arrested and taken to the Rapid Response Unit in Kireka. However, to my surprise, he was later released. I was called and handed back my car. When I learnt of his release, I knew the robber was ‘connected’, so, I feared to pursue the case.
MOST victims of the car robbery gang were killed using painful but noiseless methods such as strangling, hitting the head with a hammer and stabbing. At least 10 victims have been identified and all were killed using these methods, according to the suspects’ confessions.
The robbers distribute roles so that different individuals are responsible for luring the victim, killing, disposing off the bodies and selling the car.
Steven Ashaba, former manager with Movit
The chief robber, Robert Ssempebwa alias Kazahura, was arrested with several colleagues. He made friends with Ashaba and when he went missing, Kazahura was among the first people his wife, Rose, contacted. He appeared concerned and even joined in the search.
Rose said her husband left home on May 21 for work and never returned. She said he had never slept out before. Early in the morning, she informed the deceased’s friends, including Kazahura. After two weeks of the restless search, his rotting body was found in a thicket at Kasanja-Nakawuka. Robbers had mutilated him and removed his private parts to mislead Police into suspecting human sacrifice.
Ashaba grew up in Kasese before coming to Kampala. He first ran a retail shop at Nyanama, before Grace Birungi, the proprietor of Movit, gave him a job.
Geoffrey Nyanzi, former special hire driver
Nyanzi was strangled to death on Oct 26, 2006, before his vehicle, a Toyota Corona, UAE 367P, was robbed. His wife, Mariam Namakula, said Ssempebwa, had befriended her husband and must have lured him into a trap.
According to Namakula, Ssempebwa lured Nyanzi into a car deal. He offered to sell a new Toyota Corona to Nyanzi at sh11m. Nyanzi was also to surrender his old Toyota Corona to Ssempebwa as part of the payment.
After paying part of the money and handing over his old car, Nyanzi was told he would get the new car’s log book after paying the full amount.
When Nyanzi got the balance, he called Ssempebwa and took it there. He was never seen alive again.
After waiting for him for a day in vain, they reported the matter to the Police, searched hospitals and Police stations in the city and ran several announcements on radio stations. A few days later, his body was found in Masuliita. Unfortunately, when they rushed to Masuliita, they found the body had been removed by the Police and taken to Mulago Hospital. In Mulago, it had been buried by KCC. They had to pay money for it to be exhumed. A medical report showed that Nyanzi died of suffocation.
A week later, Ssempebwa went to the deceased’s widow and demanded sh500,000 which he said was money the late owed him. She was surprised to learn later that Ssempebwa and his group had confessed to killing her husband
Augustine Kiganda
His body was discovered at Nsangi, on Masaka Road, severely deformed by suspected acid. His wife, Faridah Nakimuli, said they identified his body from the trouser he was wearing.
Kazawula and his colleagues recently confessed that they killed Kiganda to rob him of his Premio, UAK 254K. The Police recovered the car and it is parked at Katwe Police Station.
Azaria Kafuluma
Former special hire driver Kafuluma had just been introduced by his fiancé, Lydia Nafuna, only to disappear from his workplace at Kajjansi stage on July 12. He was doing special hire using his own vehicle, an Ipsum, UAN 395L. Robbers hired him and later killed him. His body was found in a bush in Buwama. His father, George Kiribedda, said one of Kafuluma’s eyes had been scooped out by his killers. The body also had a wound on the neck, his hands were fractured and the skin had peeled off.
Michael Mugambi
Former special hire driver
His widow, Ruth Mugambi, said her husband was hit with a hammer in 2008 before robbers took off with his Corona UAH 124W.
Two men hired him from his stage at about 6:30pm and that was the last he was seen alive. His body was later found at Kakiri on Hoima Road after residents used his mobile phone to inform his relatives.
Mugambi’s car was later found with two UPDF soldiers identified as Robert Ssebunya and Franco Nyamutuswangana. Mugambi, who was a resident of Kisalosalo zone in Kyebando, left behind a wife and six children.
Siraje Kaweesa
Former special hire driver
He was a resident of Mugowa Zone in Bwaise. Kawesa was hired from his stage by the robbers on May 25, 2009. He was driving a Corona, UAG 934V. His body was found dumped in a bush in Watubba village, near Matugga. The body’s legs and hands were found tied tightly together.
Survivors narrate chilling ordeal
They abandoned me in a forest
Stephen Sserunkuuma,
Special-hire driver, Wandegeya Stage
I live in Kyebando. In August 2007, at about 8:00pm, two men hired me to drive them to Lugala. I had a Toyota Corsa, UAH 174U.
When we reached Lugala, the man who was seated in the back seat suddenly threw a rope around my neck and strangled me. I tried to fight him off, but slowly lost energy.
They then used the same rope to tie my arms and legs, took me to the forest by the roadside and tied me to one of the trees, before driving off.
When I regained energy, I managed to untie myself and run along the Northern by-pass till I came to a residence housing road workers who were building the Northern by-pass. They took me to the nearest Police station in Lugala. My car has not been found.
I reported to Police and was
instead arrested Abbas Kasule,
Special-hire driver, Wandegeya stage
In October 2008, some men hired me to take them to Kabalagala, a city suburb. When we reached a supermarket, one of the men asked me to branch off at a junction, claiming he wanted to pick his wife and take her somewhere. We parked outside a home with a wall fence.
He entered the fence and later emerged with two men holding guns.
They put me on gun-point and took my car keys. They bundled me up and drove me around for most of the night until we reached Kansanga, where they abandoned me. They drove off with my Toyota Kikumi. I reported the case at the Kabalagala Police Station, but to my surprise, I was locked up for a whole week.
They tied me to a tree in Ssemuto
Edriisa Ntamu, Special hire driver,
Wandegeya stage
I was approached by a couple at our stage and asked to drive them to Nansana, a city suburb. The lady was weeping profusely and her boyfriend told me she had just received the news of her father’s death. It was about 3:00am, August 27, 2007. On the way, the man made a call to certain people, asking them to bring him oil and a blanket.
We proceeded to Namungoona and picked some people whom the man had called to join us. He then said we drive on to Wakiso, instead, and agreed to pay sh50,000. However, along the way, they asked me to stop the car so they make short calls. When I did, they put me on gun-point and warned me not to make any alarm.
They tied my legs and arms and drove to a bushy area in Ssemuto, where they tied me to a tree. It was the residents who spotted me the following day and rescued me. I reported the case to the Police in Matugga. My car, a Toyota Kikumi, UAE 430E, was later found abandoned in Nakulabye.
They abandoned me in a sugarcane
plantation Abdul Kalwanyi Driver at
Kalerwe special hire stage
A man hired me from the stage near Mawanda Road and said he needed to purchase a used tractor tyre from Nabugabo Road. When we reached Nabugabo, he offered me more money to continue to Lugazi, where someone would sell him a new tyre more cheaply. When we reached Lugazi, we found a man on the road and my passenger asked me to stop, saying that was the man going to sell him the tyre. It was coming to dusk. When I stopped, two men with guns emerged from the sugar cane plantation and ordered me to surrender the keys. They tied my arms and legs and drove farther into the plantation, where they abandoned me at about 10:00pm. I was picked up by sugarcane workers the next morning. I reported the case to the Lugazi Police station.
I overpowered them, but Police
released him
Issa Kizito, Special hire driver, Wandegeya
On November 29, last year, two men hired me from my work station in Wandegeya at about 7:00pm. They said they were taking some items to their father.
But as soon as we reached Hotel Africana, the man who was sitting behind threw a rope around my neck and strangled me. His colleague tried to assist, but we fought till I overpowered them and the guy in the front seat took off when the Police arrived.
His colleague was arrested and taken to the Rapid Response Unit in Kireka. However, to my surprise, he was later released. I was called and handed back my car. When I learnt of his release, I knew the robber was ‘connected’, so, I feared to pursue the case.