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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Kasangati have arrested a businessman, Rashid Sekyewa, accused of robbery and destruction of a neighbour’s property worth millions of shillings.
His arrest came after, Else Batenga, a resident of Migadde village, Mutugga town council, Gombe Sub-county, in Wakiso district lodged cases of aggravated robbery and malicious damage of property at Kasangati police station.
Batenga said Sekyewa has been witch-hunting him because of his piece of land and has gone as far as hiring goons that demolished his house, stole the in-house property, assaulted him and his other family members.
“He has been threatening to attack me and my family because of my land. He hired goons that destroyed my house in the night, they beat me up and also seriously assaulted by family members. We now have nowhere to live,” said Batenga in a statement at Kasangati Police.
Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, said after registering Batenga’s complaints, police swiftly started hunting for Sekyewa who has since been arrested and now detained at Kasangati police cells.
Police said Sekyewa is being held on charges of aggravated robbery, assault and malicious damage of property. Police added that once investigations are complete, Sekyewa will be arraigned in courts of law.
“Batenga claims he has been facing threats by the suspects and he adds that the attackers said that they were sent by the same person. We have subsequently arrested Sekyewa and investigations are ongoing,” said Owoyesigyire.
Batenga said he was robbed of solar panels and other house valuables including millions of shillings he was having in his house. Owoyesigyire said they could not ascertain the amount of money that was robbed from Batenga’s house because he too did not reveal the exact figures.
Police have warned members of the public with land wrangles to stop using unlawful means as they have often resulted into deaths and serious injuries.
The Criminal Investigations Directorate –CID records show 561 cases related to land were reported in 2022 which was an increase by 6% compared to 538 land crimes of 2021. Criminal trespass and malicious damage of property were the leading cases.
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