KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Police at Nsangi Division in Wakiso District have successfully tracked down an armed gang of robbers targetting mobile money operators following a spate of robberies that have caused panic and anxiety among traders who deal in huge sums of money around the country.
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said the operation carried out by the flying squad unit led to the recovery of an AK47 that was grabbed from one of their officers on May 29 this year and used in at least four mobile money shop raids across the country.
“The Directorate of Crime Intelligence in partnership with Nsangi Police, have successfully tracked down an armed gang of robbers who target mobile money operators. This follows an intensive operation carried out by our flying Squad Unit, which recovered the police AK 47 riffle which was grabbed from a police officer of Nsangi Division on May 29, 2023,” SCP Enanga said on Wednesday.
According to Mr Enanga, ever since the gun was stolen from the officer at Nsangi Police Division Headquarters, four mobile money raids, including attempted murder by shooting of one of the victims have been registered countrywide.
“Police registered an armed robbery in Mubende, as depicted by a CCTV footage that went viral on social media and the murder of a police officer of Kassanda CPL Olaya Joseph who was part of the team that attempted to intercept the group as they fled on motorcycles from the scene. The suspects also grabbed a gun magazine belonging to the deceased,” Mr Enanga said.
On June 19, 2023, three armed gunmen raided a mobile money shop and soda depot in Mubende District before making off with an unspecified amount of money.
The trio who were riding on a motorcycle also shot and killed Corporal Joseph Olaya, one of the officers who attempted to pursue them after the heist. CPL Oloya was shot at Kyakitanga Village, Manyogaseka Sub County, Kassanda District and the assailants also made off with his gun magazine after leaving him injured.
Enanga said six suspects have since been arrested and the motor vehicle which they have been using in the robberies has also been recovered.
“We have since established from our analysis interrogations and critical examination of the different scenes that the recovered gun was the same one used in different robberies recently by this racket,” he added.
Presiding over the plenary on Wednesday afternoon, Speaker Anita Among decried the rampant cases of mobile money shop raids and asked the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja to make a follow-up and establish why the cases are on the increase.
However, the Police Spokesperson assured the public that all the criminals targeting mobile money dealers shall be brought to book.
“Further investigations are ongoing and we wish to reassure the public that all the criminals targeting mobile money dealers shall be brought to book, anyone with useful information is encouraged to share it with the nearest police station,” he said.
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