LDC student recovers sh1m tuition money from taxi robbery

CRIME

Jacob Teko, a student at Law Development Center (LDC) had to put up a spirited fight to save over sh1m tuition money from thugs disguised as Taxi operators.

"I was coming from Jinja Road Police Station barracks where I reside going  to LDC to pay tuition, I crossed over to the other side of the road towards the city to board a taxi but they were not coming and I decided to take a walk along the road as I waited.

When I reached Uganda Management Institute (UMI) a taxi registration UAZ 0940D came and it indicated that it was heading to the Old Taxi Park and they opened for me to occupy the front seat," he explained.

According to Teko the taxi had only two unoccupied seats before he realised that all the occupants were criminals who aimed at robbing him.

 "Immediately after taking the seat, the driver and the conductor, asked me to stretch my hand to fix the side mirror, I responded and did so, but they insisted that it was not yet in proper position for a clear back view.

Then the conductor moved from behind to the front seat and squeezed me while he pretended that he was positioning the mirror, as the one who was driving pulled money from my pocket. I was going to the bank the money before proceeding with the receipts to the school."

"After taking my money they dropped me off and were branching off from Jinja road towards Port Bell Road at  the junction next to  Toyota offices, I ran towards the taxi and a driver of a Toyota pickup  drove fast a head of the taxi and blocked the way," he explained.

A Taxi registration No. UAZ 094D that was used to rob a passanger along Jinja road in Kampala. Photo by Wilfred Sanya

Suspects' arrest

After the suspects being blocked, they disembarked from the vehicle to escape, however the business community who responded to an alarm from the student managed to apprehend two of the suspects.

It took the intervention of the Special Forces Command (SFC) soldiers who had parked outside Toyota offices to rescue the suspects from angry mob which had descended on them.

The suspects were kept at Toyota guards' house before Police from Jinja Police Station came and picked them.

Kampala Police Spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigire, identified the suspects as Kyazze Taibu and Wilberforce Kasirivu and the hunt for other suspects is still ongoing. "We have charged the suspects with theft," he said.

According to Police thugs posing as commuter taxi operators intensify their activities in the city during festive periods.