5 Arrested in Connection with Robberies and Theft of Guns

Joint security teams have in detention five suspects connected to various robberies and thefts of firearms in separate incidents. One of the suspects, Majidu Kenti Rwebyanga, was taken into custody in Kichwamba cell, Kabalore district. He has been implicated in the theft of a Sub-Machine Gun, which he allegedly used in multiple robberies. 

 The operation involving the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), the Police Flying Squad Unit (FSU), and the Internal Security Organization (ISO)  resulted in the arrest of Rwebyanga in the middle of last week. Julius Mugume and Innocent Tumusiime are also among the arrested suspects. They are accused of stealing a gun from Julius Mugumya, an employee of Amaani security company.

"Following the theft, Mugume and Tumusiime allegedly used the stolen firearm in several robberies. The FSU apprehended them in Kabalagala policing division," Fred Enanga, the Uganda Police Spokesperson, said.

"Whenever we recover a gun stolen by criminals and use it for criminal activities, it shows our determination to fight criminality and it sends a warning to other criminals," Enanga said. The collaborative security operations also led to the arrest of two private security deserters, Charles Okello Labong and Stephen Odara, who had absconded with a rifle. 

The two deserters were employed as guards at a poultry farm in Nalumunye, Wakiso district. "We conducted an operation and we arrested them with the gun that they had wrongfully taken for their private work," Enanga said.  Enanga revealed that efforts are underway by CMI, FSU, and ISO to trace the cases in which the recovered firearms were used during robberies.