Flying squad arrests 10 suspected car robbers, recover stolen vehicles

Kampala, Uganda  | THE INDEPENDENT |  Ten suspected vehicles robbers operating in Kampala, Nansana, Kiira and Gomba district are in police custody. The suspects were picked up in an operation by the Police Flying Squad Unit, which started in Nansana municipality on Thursday last week.

The operation later extended to Wakiso town council, Kira Municipality and climaxed in Gomba district. The Flying Squad Unit launched the crackdown supported by Crime Intelligence following overwhelming cases of car robberies particularly in areas where the operation was conducted.

Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, says police teams noticed thugs were targeting cars such as premios and Harriers, which they could dismantle and sell in form of spare parts at Bulenga and Bulaga township along Kampala-Mityana highway.

Enanga identified the suspects in police custody as Samuel Seremba, 23, Sharif Lukwago, 22, Brifen Kalyango, 20, Najib Mwanje, 26, Lydia Nakiyingi, 22, Ronald Kibalama, 22, and Lameck Mwanje 44-year-old and traditional healer.

Mwanjje operates shrines where robbers go for cleansing after conducting aggravated robberies. It is at his shrine that Alloysius Tamale alias Young Mulo, infamous for strangling a Boda-boda rider, Derrick Mulindwa at Mengo was arrested.

Enanga also identified some of the recovered vehicles as Toyota Premio registration number UBD 031k that had been robbed from Kira Division. The suspects were driving the vehicle to Bulaga up to the home of Mwanjje.

Police also recovered several exhibits including three televisions, water heater, three hoofers, fridge, four recorders, six boxes of tiles, three DVD players, five lamp holders, a money selector and an assortment of breaking implements.

The suspects picked from Gomba include Tanansi Mukasa, 32, resident of Karaji in Mukono, Swaibu Kasamba, 50, a resident of Kindurwe-Kabonera in Masaka and Martin Mwesigwa, 30, an electrician at Mukwano Arcade.

Police says they were on a mission to rob using a Toyota UAA 992P, which had an assortment of breaking implements. Enanga says the suspects were also caught with two huge bags holding two pairs of pliers used for breaking and four mobile phones, among others.

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