Jinja, (UG):- The territorial police in Jinja City have arrested and detained five notorious Panga-wielding suspects who have been terrorizing people in Jinja and the neighbouring areas.
The suspects are said to be part of the gang terrorizing areas of Bugembe, Mpumudde, Mafubira and Walukuba-Masese in Jinja city. They have been moving beyond Jinja to districts of Iganga, Bugiri, Busia, ghettos of Kisenyi in Kampala, Mbale city, etc.
Kiira regional police spokesperson SP James Mubi identified the suspects as Latif Abdullah Mulondo aka Assassin, Rosette Uwimana, 21, (wife to Assassin) residents of Kawuku-Namulandas along Entebbe road in Kampala.
Others are Joseph Lubirire, 23 and Kent Endy Mpumwire, 28, (a girlfriend to Joseph Lubirire) who reportedly returned from Kyeyo in Qatar recently. It’s alleged she has been financing Panga-wielding goons (bijambiya). Jacob Ogwal, a driver of Toyota Mark X registration number UBM 318D was also arrested.
Mubi says police intercepted the suspects at Tororo traffic checkpoint along Tororo road in Mbale city after getting information about the group which was terrorizing people in the area. This comes after an incident where two Chinese and their accomplice were robbed of fish maws amounting to Shs175m.
“On October 1, 2023, they robbed two Chinese and an African who were traveling in Toyota Regius UAZ 949S in Jinja city. They were arms with Panga. The Chinese vehicle was loaded with fish maws (Ennuni) worth Shs175m and was proceeding to Lubaga division in Kampala,” Mubi said in a Tuesday statement.
Preliminary information suggests that the five suspects and others who were previously arrested and remanded masterminded the robbery when they kidnapped the two Chinese and Africans and dumped them in a swamp in Budondo.
The suspects proceeded to Busede Sub County and offloaded the fish maws to other vehicles and subsequently looked for a black market.
SP James Mubi assured the communities that police are committed to ensuring the safety for the people against criminal cases, citing that such suspects will be arrested and be committed to courts of law.
“More suspects are yet to be arrested. The Panga-wielding attacks in Jinja are significantly falling. And we are yet not to stop it as police.” Mubi added.
Mubi has commended the leadership of Kiira policing region led by the RPC Afande Charles Nsaba for cooperating to fight criminals in Jinja district and Jinja city adding that they are trying so hard to ensure that our people continue to enjoy peace day and night.
Kiira region has since registered some successes in arresting and committing notorious Panga-wielding suspects to the courts of law.
At least 9 suspects who include; Chris Kikuli aka Dindodi, Samuel Muwanguzi aka Foster, Faruk Wambogo aka Yellow skin, and Ramazan Magumba among others were remanded to Kirinya prisons in Jinja over the same cases.
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