Two policemen arrested in robberies

By Eddie Ssejjoba and Violet Nabatanzi            

The police have arrested close to 40 suspected iron-bar hit men including two policemen, who have been terrorizing city residents and bodaboda riders.

Another Special Police Constable, Peter Kyazze was arrested after he allegedly put at gunpoint a businessman and escorted him to an ATM bank machine and forced him to withdraw shs1.4million.

The commander of Old Kampala police, Kituuma Rusoke said two police constables, Muwonge and Kinyaunyau who had been suspended over indiscipline were among the 13 suspects who were arrested in an operation conducted on Sunday in the areas of Kisenyi, Rubaga, Lungujja, Kasubi and Nansana.

Another 27 were arrested on Monday in connection with a spate of robberies in north and north-eastern parts of Kampala. The suspected thugs were arrested in two separate operations carried out in Kawempe and Bukoto areas.

The officer in-charge of Kawempe police station, Robert Walugembe identified some of the suspects as Andrew Kiwanuka, Gonzaga Ssenteza, Ssentongo, Vincent and Masoomoogi. Masoomoogi was also found with sets of police uniform.

Some of them, he alleged, rape girls in groups, rob women and are also involved in breaking people's houses before robbing them.

The police constables formerly attached to Old Kampala police were being held at Nsambya police barracks but police said they had been carrying out robberies in collaboration with notorious thugs in Kisenyi and other black spots.

The other civilian suspects now detained at old Kampala included a notorious hit-man only identified as Santiago but their alleged commander, one Ssekajja Paddy Sserunjogi alias Sobi was still on the run. Seven other suspects who had been mentioned by Crime Preventers eluded police arrest and were still at large.

Those detained included Kevin Tumwesigye, Ashirafu Kashambira, Musoke Moses, Yasin Ssenono.

Kituuma said the operation was prompted by the increasing number of iron-bar robberies targeting especially bodaboda riders, burglaries, pickpocketing and other crimes.

According to Kituuma, Ssekajja who has led a number of robbery missions has been elusive but the police were following his movements.

The suspects would be charged with robbery and would be produced in court after concluding police investigations.

Kituuma said that SPC Kyazze, who was being detained, had illegally arrested one Swaibu Wasswa, a Kampala businessman whom he accused of obtaining money by false pretense and handcuffed him.

He was assisted by some men in civilian clothes who had a gun and a baton but were still at large.

According to Kituuma, the men led their captive to an ATM point at Tropical Bank main branch along Kampala Road and forced him to withdraw money.

He was later handed over to Musajjalumbwa Police post where they opened up a case of obtaining money by false pretense but the police were later tipped off about the extortion and arrested the officer.

Wasswa was later released on bond. Kyazze would be charged with aggravated robbery.