Police kill six robbers, recover three guns

Apr 11, 2016

“We recovered two pistols, an Uzi gun and 40 rounds of ammunition."

KAMPALA - The Police's Flying Squad Unit (FSU) have gunned down six suspected armed robbers and recovered three guns in a space of one week.

According to the FSU - one of the police elite units charged to combat violent crime - the men snuffed out were behind the violent and gruesome robberies in Kampala and Wakiso region.

The FSU commandant Herbert Muhangi told New Vision that the suspected robbers killed were habitual offenders. They were gunned down in Katwe, Entebbe and Kayunga between April 2 and April 9 this year.

"We recovered two pistols, an Uzi gun and 40 rounds of ammunition," he said.

When asked about the identities and crimes committed linked to the suspects, Muhangi said he wasn't on his desk to read the file at the time of doing this story.

"What I can tell is that it's a big group and habitual offenders. I am in Entebbe for a meeting and will definitely call and give you details when I return."

On Tuesday last week, the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura, described crime in Uganda as so violent.

 "Even during a simple break-in, thugs use an AK47, an assault rifle," he said during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Ugandan government (Police) and the United Nations Peace University at the police headquarters in Naguru, a city suburb.

Busaabala

Police foiled a robber plot and gunned down four armed thugs after they raided a home of a local businessman on Friday last week in Ggangu C along Busaabala road in Wakiso district.

Preliminary police investigations revealed that the suspects had gone to pick their gun which they concealed in a banana plantation near the home of Rogers Male, a local businessman dealing in car spare parts in the city.  The gun was wrapped in a green sack.

The Uganda Police signed a memorandum of understanding with a UN-mandated University at police headquarters in Naguru last week. (Credit: Hajarah Nalwadda)


Police investigations reveal that the robber's motive was to rob Male. They hid the gun in his plantation to avoid police trail. However, police had earlier been tipped about the move and had set up a trap.

The robbers' move was thwarted by operatives who had earlier camped around Male's home. The operatives gunned down four and one escaped with injuries. Police has since recovered a gun with 25 bullets and one of the motorcycles (UEJ 166G) used by the robbers.

The officer in charge of Kibiri Police post, John Kibaro Adyeri, told New Vision of how "we searched the armed robbers and found them with only one pistol carrying seven bullets."

He added: "They don't have identity cards. The gun we recovered on Thursday plus the motorcycle are under safe custody. More operations will take place until robbers are gotten rid of in the area."

Adyeri said the robbers didn't have documentation on them. The deceased's bodies are still at the city mortuary.

Deployment

Military police have deployed and seen patrolling and searching for suspected criminal gangs that have been terrorizing Ssumbwe village in Wakiso district, following the murder of a Muslim cleric attached to Nateete mosque on Thursday last week.

So far no arrests have been made in connection to Yunus Lubega's gruesome murder.

Anita Kemirembe, who operates a shop dealing in cosmetics in Ssumbwe, told New Vision that the army presence was visible on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.

"The army came after a security meeting was held and we [the area residents] were assured of safety in the area," she said.

Lubega, 37, was killed by two machete-wielding men in the wee hours of Thursday in the presence of his wife and two of his children at his home.

The deputy Imam of Nateete mosque, Lubega had just entered his new house in Ssumbwe about six months ago. He had shifted from Nabusinga about 3km away from Ssumbwe where he had also had several attempts on his life, according to Swaib Kikomeko, the deputy Imam of Ssumbwe mosque.

Lubega's wife, Hajara, revealed to New Vision part of the events of that fateful night.

"Those who killed my husband climbed over the fence and into the compound at around 3am local time. They broke the metallic back door and gained access to the house.

"One of the attackers was in a white sleeveless shirt while the other was in a Muslim tunic (Kanzu) and they appeared elderly."

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