21 suspects arrested, guns, bomb recovered

Feb 11, 2010

THE Police Rapid Response Unit has arrested 21 suspects and recovered three guns and a stick grenade in a two-week operation aimed at fighting crime.

By Steven Candia

THE Police Rapid Response Unit has arrested 21 suspects and recovered three guns and a stick grenade in a two-week operation aimed at fighting crime.

The operation was done in the districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Kibaale and Bukedea.
The Police also recovered 55 bullets, two motor vehicles, motorcycles, 485 boxes of fresh diary milk and several pairs of gumboots.

Among those arrested and paraded before journalists at the unit’s headquarters in Kireka, a Kampala suburb, was a Special Police Constable, who was arrested in connection with the murder of a farmer in Bukedea.

Also held was a woman, who was suspected of being part of a gang that murder ed a boda boda cyclist in Kibaale.

Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said the Special Police Constable attached to Malera Police post, only identified as Okwarot, was arrested with Joseph Tolong and Meddie Tolong over the murder of Benon Emuge.

The three were arrested after Police sniffer dogs deployed at the scene where the victim had been gunned down led the detectives to the home of the constable.

Nabakooba said Emuge was shot dead after he returned from the market where he had sold cassava worth sh200,000.
She added that the three men, armed with a gun, attacked Emuge and shot him when he refused to give them the money.

“They shot him and later turned on his wife, who surrendered sh60,000, saying her husband had spent part of the money on building materials.”

In the same district, an army deserter, Eliot Opede, was arrested in a sting operation by the Rapid Response Unit operatives, while allegedly trying to sell a grenade.

Those arrested in Kibale were Bashaija Nyombi, Dennis Tumusiime, Fred Byabagambi and Ketty Namayanja.

They were said to have taken part in the January 26 gruesome murder of Morris Sekamate from whom they allegedly robbed a motorcycle.
Nabakooba said the four were suspected to be part of a gang the steals motorcycles in the district and sells them in Tanzania.

She added that they repeatedly slashed the victim with knives before dumping his body in River Nkusi.

In Kampala, James Byamuhanga, Peter Musisi and Nelson Musiima were arrested over a scam involving fake bank drafts.
Nabakooba said the men are suspected to have conned business people out of millions of shillings.

They were arrested in connection with the January 30 incident, in which they presented fake bank drafts to Sameer Agriculture and Livestock Industries and made off with 500 cartons of UHT milk.

“Investigations are still going on but the suspects are to be charged with theft and uttering false documents,” Nabakooba said.

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