Thugs shoot mobile money agent dead, rob millions in Busia

Busia, (UG):- Authorities in eastern Uganda’s Busia District are on a hunt for unknown assailants who shot and killed a mobile money and banking agent before taking off with money in excess of millions of shillings on Monday night.

Rashid Kizza, 28, was shot dead at around 7.30 PM as he closed his shop in Sofia ‘B’ village, Busia Municipality, raising concern over security lapses in the fast-growing eastern town.

According to Busia Resident District Commissioner, Michael Kibwika, preliminary reports indicate that “the criminals made off with Kizza’s bag that we think had money, mobile phones and keys to his shop and home.”

Mr Job Mutesa, an eyewitness, and friend to the deceased, says two criminals riding on a motorcycle came to the shop and one immediately pulled out a gun which he had concealed in a piece of cloth and shot the victim at close range.

“One of the criminals held the gun low which he had covered with a piece of cloth and without saying anything shot Kizza in the chest,” he said.

Another eyewitness, a woman who sells vegetables next to where the incident happened, said she had earlier seen “some two suspicious-looking people dressed in black jackets”, but didn’t get a good look at them.

Ms Jalia Naigaga, who responded to the shooting, says she tried to rush the victim to Busia Health Centre IV after she found him lying in a pool of blood, but he passed on before they could reach the health facility.

Sofia municipal councillor, Bashir Wanyama, said the criminals took advantage of the police operation in the area to execute their mission.

According to him, at the time of the attack, police were in Sofia village carrying out an operation, so when gunshots were heard, many thought it was a police shooting.

Mr Wanyama, however, noted that generally, security in Sofia village and its environs has declined over the past weeks, with criminal gangs resorting to street violence and hacking people with machetes.