NEWS- Police in Kampala have detained three suspected notorious thugs who have been carrying out robberies using boda-boda in Kampala.
The trio have been identified as Stephen Sserwanyiri, 34-year-old boda boda rider resident of Kirinyabigo Kawanda, Robert Mukisa 24-year-old a boda boda rider resident of Lubowa zone Nabweru, and Jamir Mutaawe who is the ringleader.
Their arrest has followed their attempt to rob Enid Naginda, a 24-year-old waitress at Luve Restaurant in Kololo. The incident occurred while Naginda was returning home at around 1:45 AM last Thursday. Fortunately, Naginda raised an alarm that caught the attention of the night-patrolling police officers, leading to the suspects’ arrest.
The incident occurred at Nakasero, between Fairway Hotel and Blood Bank Road, the group had made off with her bag containing 50,000 Uganda Shillings and a mobile phone. During the process of chasing them, police managed to arrest Sserwanyiri who falloff the motorcycle registration UFM 529C and the rest escaped.
According to Onyango, upon searching him, a panga and the stolen belongings of the victims were recovered. Sserwanyiri confessed to planning the robbery with his two counterparts, whom he has led Police to their arrest in various areas of hiding.
One of the suspects confessed to using a panga to harm victims who resist surrendering their properties during robberies carried out on motorcycles over the last year. This disturbing admission was made during a scene reconstruction in Kololo, where the suspects were taken by police officers and journalists.
“We use the panga to harm any victim who attempts to resist surrendering their properties. We have been carrying out these robberies on motorcycles for the last one year.”Sserwanyi said.
The further explained their modus operandi: “The one who rides the victim does not participate in the taking away the belongings, he only stop in a dark corner or make sure that he hit in the pothole and the victim has to fall down, then when the rest comes in, for you speed off, then wait your colleagues in front.” Sserwanyi told Police officers.
SP Hassan Hiwumbire, the Wandegeya Division Police Commander, said there an increase of robbery complaints in the typically quiet areas of Kololo and Nakasero which is contributing to the vulnerability of victims and visitors to robberies.
“Motorcycle thieves operate by stopping in the middle of the road, pretending to have mechanical issues in dark areas, and then surrounding their victims with accomplices on another motorcycle within these areas. That is why we call on passengers not to allow a boda-boda to pass through shortcut roads you don’t even know, pass through main roads in night hours.”Hiwumbire said.
According to SP Hiwumbire, the suspects’ modus operandi involves hiding machetes under motorcycle seats during the day, then committing crimes under the cover of darkness, adding that suspect files are being prepared, and they will appear in court soon.
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A motorcycle with registration number UFJ 348M was also recovered during a home search, along with military-style hoods used in robberies. Ringleader Mutaawe has also confessed to targeting areas including Nakasero, Northern Bypass, Namugona, Kololo, Spear Motors, Golf Course, and Wandegeya.
