Police busts criminal gang that targets bodabodas

Police in Kakiri has arrested nine suspects and recovered nine motorcycles from a notorious criminal gang that has been robbing people in the surrounding areas.

A report of two stolen motorcycles was registered at Bukalanga Police Post under Kakiri Division by one Elijah Kiwanuka, 33, a businessman and a resident at Kikubampanga Zone, Kakiri Town Council in Wakiso District.

The report stated that on the night of September 30, 2020, at an unknown time, unknown people broke into his house and stole two Bajaj Boxer motorcycles reg. no. UDR 663Q and UDL 710Z.

Police opened up inquiries, visited the scene of the crime, and relevant statements were recorded which led to the arrest of nine suspects.

Nine motorcycles were recovered in the operation with the following registration numbers; UDX 262Q, UDL 710Z, UDX 189U, UDR 663Q, UDR 744R, UEX 962Q, UDH 661D, UEB 978G, and UDV 178N.

During the investigations, four forged logbooks were recovered from the suspects.

Police established that on the fateful night, thugs broke into Kiwanuka's house and stole the two motorcycles.

Fortunately, motorcycle reg. no. UDR 663Q was sold to John Kityo who incidentally works with Kiwanuka at the same bodaboda stage in Kakiri Town Council.

Kiwanuka saw his motorcycle with Kityo at the stage and he inquired how Kityo got it.

 Kityo revealed that he too bought the said motorcycle from one called Mukasa Joseph a mechanic at Kiwawu village in Mityana district at one million shillings (Ugx 1,000,000/=).

Kityo was taken to Police by the complainant together with the motorcycle in question and he was tasked by the Police to lead them to one Joseph Mukasa, the person he said sold him the motorcycle.

Mukasa was arrested at Mityana with the help of Kityo and on interrogation, he revealed that he bought the motorcycle at sh850,000 for which he was given an original logbook.

When Mukasa was being taken to Kakiri, he sighted Ibra Kayemba at Bujuuko Town and he was promptly arrested. Kayemba was identified as the chief architect of the crime and after interrogation, he revealed to the Police that he steals and sells both old and new motorcycles in almost every part of the country.

The Police managed to arrest seven other suspects and recovered seven other Bajaj Boxer motorcycles.

It was also established that Kayemba was dealing with some unscrupulous employees at the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) headquarters in Nakawa where he would forge logbooks for all the motorcycles he steals.

One suspect named Samuel Okoori an alleged broker at URA headquarters Nakawa was the one who was at the forefront of forging logbooks for Kayemba.

When Okoori was interrogated, he too claimed he forwarded the number plates to one Mukasa an employee of URA who would print logbooks for Kayemba for between sh35,000 to sh60,000 per logbook.

It was also established the logbooks would then be packed in envelopes that Okoori would deliver to one Grace Nassuna Grace a mobile money attendant who operates at the gate of the headquarters, where Kayemba would go and pick them from, handing Nassuuna sh20m for keeping the logbooks.

Nassuuna was arrested, interrogated but she said she was ignorant about the crime that was being perpetrated because she didn't know what was contained in the envelopes she kept for Kayemba.

The Police is in the process of recovering all other motorcycles that could still be in the hands of this criminal racket which is terrorising Wakiso, Mityana, Mubende, Kayunga, Nakaseke, Luweero, and the surrounding areas.

A concerted effort is to be made to arrest, prosecute, follow up and disband the gang and their activities to make sure bodaboda riders are safe as they perform their daily duties.