Flying squad arrest 8 more suspected street robbers

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Flying Squad Unit has arrested 8 more suspects in connection to the recent street mugging and robberies. This brings to 21, the number of suspects arrested in connection to the incidents that were captured on the security Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system.

Led by their commander Senior Superintendent of Police-SSP Andrew Kaggwa, Flying squad operatives first reviewed CCTV video clips showing the suspects in action on various streets of Kampala, its outskirts and other upcountry towns.

They then embarked on operations that started mid-last week leading to the arrest of 13 suspects who appeared in the CCTV footage. The suspects include Abdullahman Bakata alias Pancho, Gordon Ssegirinya, Mugerwa Abdul, Wanada Augustine, Nsubuga Emmanuel, Mukasa Michael, Muwada UIvan, Bukenya Joseph, Tomusange Derrick, Sonko Ashraf, Muhammad Kintu and Nsubuga Hood.

Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga says that the unit picked up 8 more suspects from Bugolobi in Nakawa division and Kawempe division over the weekend. “We are not giving out their names today, because the operations are still ongoing. Reading their names would be an alert to their accomplices still at large, whom we’re still tracking down,” Enanga said.

Whereas security has arrested similar suspects in the past, the majority walk away shortly on bail. However, Enanga explains this time around, police are considering prosecuting them in the military court.

“Because of the stringent bail conditions and terms in a court-martial that is where we are going to charge these suspects. On a number of occasions, they have been getting soft bail terms by paying their way out and returning on the streets and beginning from where they had stopped. This time we are taking a different stand,” Enanga said.

One of the latest street mugging victims is an Ethiopian diplomat who was attacked on February 25 along Prince Charles Drive in Kololo. Security says the suspects were responsible for the attack on Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu near Green Hill Academy and many other city robberies.

What is shocking to police and other security agencies is the fact that the suspects do not hide their identities and in most cases, commit their crimes in areas covered by CCTV cameras. Enanga has called on the general public to be extremely vigilant while driving, jogging and conducting daily activities.

The suspects have been active in targeting people coming from financial institutions in Kololo, William Street, Wilson Street, Industrial Area, Namirembe, Bugolobi, Kireka, Nansana, Kisenyi, Luzira and Jinja City.

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