Two arrested over kidnap, robbery along Kampala-Masaka highway

Masaka, (UG): The Territorial Police in Greater Masaka working together with the Flying Squad Unit have arrested two suspects who have been actively involved in Kidnapping passengers, and robbing, valuables and cash from them along the Kampala-Masaka Highway.

The suspects include Kigozi Suleiman, a 25-year-old, taxi driver of Nabbingo, Kakungubwe in Wakiso District and Nsubuga Derrick, a 30-year old, conductor of Wantoni – Masaja ”B” village in Makindye.

According to Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga, the duo would lure the passengers into the taxi vehicle, under registration number UBL 259W, Toyota drone, without taxi blue/white stripes and then rob them on knifepoint and other weapons.

After the robbery, they would abandon them in the nearby bushes.

Enanga who was addressing the media on Monday at police headquarters in Naguru revealed that a joint-task team embarked on an intelligence-led operation following rampant cases of kidnap and robbery on the highway leading to the arrest of the duo.

“The Joint Task Team on the 27th of January, 2024 carried out an intelligence-led operation which led to a car chase, after locating the vehicle within Masaka City, through Kyoik swamp, up to Kinoni in Lwengo district, where they covered and arrested them,” Mr Enanga stated, adding that; “the suspects were also masquerading as crime intelligence, CMI operatives from Kampala.”

Police have since cautioned travellers to be extra-cautious on vehicles they board, and insisted that public commuters should bear a blue and white strip as a requirement.

“All passengers are cautioned against boarding such look-alike vehicles, without the blue/white stripes which is a requirement for registered taxis. They are further advised to exercise caution while boarding taxis from non-gazetted taxi stages,” Enanga said.

He thanked the territorial teams in Greater Masaka and the Flying Squad Unit for their outstanding work.