KAMPALA, UGANDA: PC Ivan Wabwire, the policeman who shot and killed an Indian money lender on Friday has been arrested in Kenya, police have confirmed this morning.
Wabwire, 30, who is attached to the CPS in Kampala fatally shot Mr Uttam Bhandari, the director of TFS Financial Services, a micro money lending institution in Kampala.
In a development on Sunday, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, SSP Patrick Onyango said that the officer who went on the run after the incident was arrested at around 7:00 am today morning in Kenya where he had allegedly crossed to escape being charged.
“…Wabwire Ivan was arrested in Busia Municipality at Customs by a joint team commanded by the DPC Busia SP Didas Byaruhanga,” Mr Onyango said.
He added that the officer is currently detained at Busia police station in eastern Uganda where he will be transferred to Kampala to answer the murder charges slapped against him.
“He is currently detained at CPS Busia pending transfer to CPS Kampala.”
“We want to thank the officers who worked for the last 42 hours to ensure that Wabwire is arrested,” he added.
According to CCTV footage obtained by police in the aftermath of the deadly shooting, the ‘mentally sick’ officer sprayed over seven bullets at Mr Bhandari after developing an argument.
The incident stirred panic and unrest in the office as other people dispersed in dismay to save their lives, while the same footage shows the officer returning moments to fire more bullets that finished off the victim in the heartless incident.
Additional information gathered indicates that PC Wabwire, a born of Buwalira village, Bumunji Parish, Masinya Sub County in Busia district was 2018 banned from possessing a firearm for six years after being admitted to Butabika Hospital twice over a mental breakdown.
According to his relatives, he started showing signs of mental instability in 2016 before he joined the Force, although police said he was treated of the mental illness and got discharged before he was deployed in areas that don’t require having a gun.
On a fateful day, Wabwire allegedly stole the gun he used in the shooting from a fellow policeman and roommate, Steven Mulambo, who police says is also currently in custody to aid with investigations into the incident.
PC Wabwire, who has been servicing one loan since 2020, “owed the [TFS Financial Services] Shs2,130,000” as per Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango.
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