The Police’s alert squad has intercepted robbers and thwarted a robbery of sh190m that had been grabbed from a businesswoman who was on her way to the bank.
Businesswoman Shaturah Namata found herself at the mercy of robbers as she left Give-and-Take hardware in Bulenga on Mityana Road, Wakiso district, with sh190m, which she intended to bank in Kampala.
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The daring assailants, driving in Toyota Noah at high speed, intercepted Namata at Wakaliga. She was being driven, but they swiftly bundled her into their vehicle with a bag containing the money.
According to the Police, the criminals embarked on a 45-minute journey covering 30km from Lungujja to Kiwanga in Mukono district, where they dumped Namata before fleeing with the cash.
Shortly after Namata was abandoned by the robbers, a bodaboda rider luckily showed up and she requested him to help her pursue the thieves.
Namata jumped onto the bodaboda and they followed the robbers, and as they pursued them, other bodaboda riders were alerted and they joined in the chase.
According to bodaboda riders, the robbers first managed to disappear and change the car number plate, but the riders had taken note of the car’s features and later identified it while parked in Buto, Bweyogerere.
The car registration number was reportedly changed from UBL series to UBN 360N. The Police are investigating the source of these numbers.
When the thieves realised that the bodaboda riders had recognised their car, they sped off towards the Northern Bypass, and the cyclists again gave a chase. In the hot pursuit, the robbers knocked and injured several bodaboda riders. Later, the Police patrol unit was alerted and it joined in the chase.
Eyewitnesses said Police officers first shot in the air to stop the robbers in vain. The Police also fired four other bullets in the car, wounding one of the robbers on the right hand. Two robbers were arrested, while the third managed to escape.
New Vision journalists who visited the crime scene later learnt that Police recovered sh160m, 37 handcuffs, and three army-like uniforms.
Shortly after the robbers’ arrest at Naalya, a senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer drove to the scene in a tinted numberless pick-up truck. However, when he saw journalists around, he jumped back into his car and sped off.
Defence spokesperson Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye yesterday said the Police had not contacted them about the recovery of army-like uniforms and could not readily tell whether the suspects belong to UPDF or not.
THE SUSPECTS
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire commended the bodaboda riders for helping Police pursue and apprehend the robbers.
“The chase reached a dramatic climax near the Naalya flyover when a courageous motorist used their vehicle to block the path of the suspects,” Owoyesigyire said.
He added that while one suspect managed to evade capture, two of them; Kakaire Opio and James Sanusa alias Kabusu, were arrested.
However, detectives have cast doubt on the veracity of the suspects’ identities, prompting further scrutiny, according to Owoyesigyire.
Although initial Police reports indicated that they had recovered sh115m from the suspects, another report indicates that they recovered sh160m.
“The suspects were taken into custody at Kira Division Police, pending their transfer to Nateete Police Division, where the initial report of the incident was filed,” Owoyesigyire said.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said Namata first reported the case of theft of money at Lungujja Police under Natete Police Division.
The injured suspect (Kabusu) was taken to Mulago Hospital under Police guard, while Opio was detained at Kira Police Division in Wakiso district.
