KAMPALA- The Uganda Police Force is perplexed by the growing number of ex-convicts, previously convicted of urban crimes that are reverting to their old habits and continuing to terrorize city residents.
This surge in ex-convicts’ criminal activity coincides with a recent spike in robberies targeting motorists and pedestrians along the Northern Bypass and other parts of the city centre, allegedly carried out by organized criminal gangs.
Over the weekend, Sulain Wagaba and Wannie Masibo, residents of Kiwatule’s central zone, fell prey to the notorious Northern Bypass robberies. While commuting to work in the early morning hours, they were brutally attacked and robbed of their valuables by unidentified assailants.
The responding officers shot dead Jonathan Rwothomio, one of the suspects, who attempted to exchange with the police officers, while his accomplices fled the scene with the stolen items and remains at large.
Police investigations have indicated that the deceased suspect, was released on court bail last month, and had pending charges for store breaking and theft in Kiwatule.
Luke Owoyesigyire, Deputy Police Spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan Areas, has revealed that investigations into various robbery cases have consistently shown that repeat offenders and ex-convicts are primarily responsible for these attacks.
“Jonathan’s case is not isolated. He was arrested, charged, and granted bail, only to resume his criminal ways after six months. Similarly, individuals like Jamada and Ibrahim, who faced lenient prosecution after previous arrests, continue to mastermind robberies in parts of the city centre.”Owoyesigyire said.
During the Monday operations in Bugolobi, and Naguru, go-down, by Jinja-road police Division, where at list four x-convicts including Benon Mutebi, Sharif Ssenfuma aka Shisha, Daniel Ziwa Dan Kiwanuka, police says all these had criminal records within the police.
Owoyesigyire says the challenge of ex-convicts reverting to crime is a broader issue, encompassing the entire criminal justice system. He says despite police efforts to investigate and profile these individuals, lenient court sentences allow them to re-offend.
