Panga-wielding men attack Police, one dead

CRIME

KAMPALA - Police is hunting for panga-wielding thugs allegedly behind the attack on Kabowa Police post on Thursday, last week. 

During the attack, Police fired shots in the air to disperse a crowd. However, a stray bullet killed a passerby. The body of the male victim (whose name New Vision could not readily establish) was transferred to Mulago Hospital mortuary for postmortem.

The thugs in question, Police says, pounced on the officers and a crime preventer at about 9:00 pm on Thursday night. The victims sustained head and stomach injuries, respectively.

An eyewitness, Esther Namuwonge, criticised Police for recklessly firing stray bullets that killed an innocent person.

"The Police were reckless in firing bullets that ended the young man's life," Namuwonge said.

In the Thursday incident, Police arrested one suspect, identified as Rogers Kamya, a bodaboda operator.

According to the Police, Kamya armed with a machete and a hammer, attacked and injured a Policeman, John Warren Kirya and crime preventer, Arafa Okanyasi.
 
According to Kirya, during the scuffle, he kicked Kamya and he fell down, but on getting up, he cut him (Kirya) with a knife on the head.

Okanyasi, who was injured on stomach said: "I got injured when I tried to help the policeman, as Kamya attempted to grab a gun from him."

Katwe division Police commander, Frantile Lwomusayi and his criminal investigations team have since recorded a statement from the Kabowa Police officers.

Kamya remains in Police custody, awaiting a mental health checkup on Monday.

Preliminary Police investigations indicate that Kamya, who previously operated at Taata Jimmy bodaboda stage in Wankulukuku, Rubaga division, Kampala, orchestrated the plan to attack the Police post with other criminal gang members, currently on the run, according to Abdu Nasser Hidujja, the officer in-charge Kabowa Police Post.

Police spokesperson, Emilian Kayima said: "A man welding a machete allegedly attacked a Police officer and injured him together with a crime preventer. Onlookers gathered and had to be dispersed. In the process, an innocent bystander was hit with a stray bullet and he died."

A fortnight ago, two Police officers were shot dead in Kawempe division.

Police Field Force Unit(FFU) spokesperson, Samson Lubega, identified the deceased as NO53118 Vincent Habiyaremye and No 60403 Ambrose Otim, both constables attached to Kawempe Police Station.

"The Police officers were waylaid by yet unknown persons, who shot them and made off with their rifles," Lubega told Saturday Vision, via telephone.