Police have arrested three suspects believed to be part of a network involved in phone snatching and the illegal trade and transportation of stolen mobile phones.
The arrests were made by Kampala Metropolitan Police East through Jinja Road Police Station following investigations into the robbery of an iPhone Pro Max valued at approximately UGX 5.7 million.
The phone was allegedly stolen from a businesswoman on August 29, 2026, near Capital Shoppers, opposite Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in Nakawa. Police launched investigations and used CCTV footage, together with information from human sources, to identify the suspects.
On September 2, 2026, Police arrested the first suspect, identified as Hassan Semujju. According to Police, Semujju confessed to the offence and led investigators to a suspected middleman, Fred Sitakange, who was subsequently arrested.
Sitakange then led Police to another suspect, Namegabe Jean Marie, a Congolese national suspected of receiving stolen phones and facilitating their transportation to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Preliminary investigations indicate that Semujju is a repeat offender who had previously been arrested over theft of mobile phones. Sitakange, meanwhile, had previously been arrested in connection with a bank fraud case.
Police said Jean Marie disclosed that he receives large numbers of stolen iPhones from his contacts before facilitating their transportation to the DRC. During the operation, investigators also recovered three iPhones from Sitakange which he could not initially account for.
According to Police, Sitakange later admitted that the three phones had been stolen, further strengthening the investigation into the suspected network.
Police are continuing with investigations to identify and arrest other individuals believed to be involved in the phone-snatching and trafficking network.
The operation is part of ongoing efforts by Police to disrupt organised theft and the illegal trade in stolen mobile phones, which continues to affect members of the public and businesses.
ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, Deputy Public Relations Officer for Kampala Metropolitan Police, said investigations remain ongoing as Police work to establish the full extent of the network and bring all those involved to justice.
