KAMPALA, UGANDA: Police has launched a man hunt for city socialite, Charles Olim alias Sipapa over the alleged robbery of over shs1.6 billion from a South Sudanese national.
Police spokesperson, SCP Fred Enanga while addressing the media on Monday afternoon said the victim identified as Jacob Arok, a resident of Bunga in Kampala was on Sunday August 28 robbed of them money when unknown men broke into his home after applying suspected chloroform to the occupants.
“The thugs ransacked the home and stole cash amounting to $429000(Shs1.6billion), four Iphones, apple laptops, dell laptop, gold jewelry for the wife and a 65 inch Samsung tv among others,” said Enanga.
Enanga revealed that when the South Sudan national reported the matter to police, detectives tracked one of the phones stolen and following this lead, the signal led them to a home in Buwaate, in Wakiso district.
“Our detectives tracked down an iCloud from one of the phones stolen from the home and led them to a location in Kityo close in Buwaate in Kira division. When we interviewed the occupants, they said the house belongs to Sipapa whom we didn’t find at home but had travelled to Tororo.”
Enanga said a search in the home in the presence of Shamilah Nakiyimba, the wife to Sipapa led to recovery of several items stolen from the South Sudan national including $70,000, four Iphones, three laptops, gold jewelry and Iphone charge and Mac Pro charger.
“We also recovered two number plates UBG 025B and UBA 023U, an assortment of car accessories including amplifiers, six tool boxes, four sport rims, rear car seat , 12 headlight indicators, Jeep bumper, V8 bumper, rear boot, three radiators, three rear shutters , boot doors and two cars resprayed from the original red colour including a Jeep and an Audi without registration numbers,”Enanga said.
He added that four suspects including the wife are currently in custody as the hunt for others is on. “Shamillah Nakiyimba had tried to conceal the $70,000 and jewelry in shoes,” Enanga said.
He added that since then, the hunt started with Sipapa going into hiding further saying that having been forced to surrender his armed guards, Sipapa is now moving with bouncers to protect him.
“A serious man hunt for Sipapa who is urgently needed is ongoing whose last appearance was in Nagongera in Tororo where he was seen dishing out cash to members of the public. We are appealing for information from anyone on the whereabouts of Sipapa or the allegedly aggravated robbery.”
“We know he is aware of our hunt and is invasive. He has decided to move with bouncers after the military guards were withdrawn and now using bouncers as private guards but warn them that whoever is found with him will be charged for abetting crime and harboring a wanted criminal suspect.”
The development comes on the backdrop of Sipapa donating food items to several villages in Tororo over the weekend.
“I am not doing this as a form of accountability because I don’t work for any organization. I have been doing this for quite some time and I will continue doing it to support my people who were with me during the early days of my life,” Sipapa said.
Previously, Sipapa has been accused of behaving with impunity. On several occasions, motorists have said Sipapa who moves in a convoy of two vehicles was becoming a nuisance on the road by disregarding other users.
He has on several occasions been accused of knocking other road users and takes off.
In 2020, Sipapa’s convoy opened fire at a group of National Unity Platform supporters in Kamwokya near the offices of their leader, Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine.
Consequently, authorities directed that the armed guards he had be withdrawn since he was misusing them.
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