How police used CCTV to track woman with church vehicle stolen at Aponye’s burial

RWAMPARA, UGANDA: Fresh details have emerged on the woman identified as Shamim Bitariho, who was yesterday arrested with the vehicle belonging to Kigezi diocese that was stolen on Wednesday at the burial of businessman Apollo Nyegamehe alias Aponye.

Police say Bitariho, a businesswoman resident of Namungona in Kampala was found with nine master keys that she used to break into and take off with the car.

The car, Suzuki type registration number UAT 478N, Grey in colour which had been used by the clergy from Kikugiri Archdeaconry in Kabale to attend the burial of the late Aponye was stolen from the burial and driven towards Ntungamo road.

According to the Kigezi Regional Police Spokesperson ASP Elly Maate, Bitariho was then intercepted at the Nyeihanga town council checkpoint at around 10:00 pm on Wednesday after a case of a stolen car was reported at Muhanga Police Station and other police stations along the Kabale Mbarara highway were notified.

The suspect who is now under their custody at Muhanga Police Station in the Rukiga district was captured by the cameras in Rubaare Town Council where she had parked until night according to police

According to Maate, the police ICT department was involved in the search and the suspect together with a man whom the cameras in Ntungamo captured was seen heading to Mbarara – Kampala road, noting that since police in the Rwampara district were informed, they mounted a checkpoint along the road.

“When they reached our checkpoint at Nyamukana they were stopped but refused to stop, drove through forcefully and the officer there had to quickly inform the police in Nyeihanga which also mounted another checkpoint that intercepted the vehicle that was being driven by the suspect – Shamim Bitariho.

Maate says Bitariho according to preliminary finds is a habitual car robber who upon search police recovered exhibits that included 09 master keys, 05 sticks of marijuana, a sum of 500,000 shillings, and 2 trays of eggs.

The Regional police mouthpiece added that investigations are ongoing and efforts to arrest a male person captured by cameras in Ntungamo are on.

The Kigezi Diocesan Secretary, Rev Milton Nkurunungi spoke regretfully of the incident and called for concerted efforts from both the general public and security to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their saviour.

Rev Nkurunungi added that as a clergy from the diocese, they have recorded statements with police on how the vehicle was stolen, and urged the police to handle the case to its conclusion.