Taxi gangs 'exporting' criminal activities upcountry - Police

Apr 26, 2016

Police has recorded several cases of cash and property theft from travelers by armed thugs

Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga has said that criminals operating from Kampala have extended their activities upcountry.

He said Police has recorded several cases of cash and property theft from travelers by armed thugs moving in commuter taxis countrywide, with the latest along Jinja-Iganga Road in Mafumbira Sub County, Jinja district.

Enanga said that a passenger identified as Fred Kunya, 26, while waiting for a taxi to proceed to Jinja town was robbed of cash by thugs travelling in a Toyota omnibus whose registration number was not captured.

According to Enanga, the incident happened last week. The vehicle that was heading towards Iganga stopped where the victim was waiting for a ride to Jinja.

The purported driver and his conductor came out requesting Kunya to board but he refused and they duped him that someone in the back seat was calling him.

"When he moved closer to see who was calling him the conductor pushed him inside and the person in the back seat drew a pistol at him and asked him to surrender all he had"  Enanga said.

"As he tried to resist, a woman in the same taxi told Kunya to adhere to the instructions or else his life was in danger. The thugs searched him and stole sh1.6m, an ATM card, a cheque and two IDs, including the National ID," Enanga said.

He said after the robbery they pushed Kunya out of the vechile and continued their journey towards Iganga. 

Kunya reported the case at Kakira Police Station, who are probing the matter. By press time, no suspects had been arrested.

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