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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police Flying Squad Unit has launched a hunt for 22 thugs suspected to be part of the group that has wreaked havoc by stealing electric power lines around the country.
The group is said to be operating mainly in the central region.
Flying squad together with the crime intelligence has so far arrested 16 suspects who have revealed their accomplices and the search is ongoing in areas of Lugazi, Buikwe district, Nsangi in Wakiso district, and Lubaga division in Kampala.
Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson said Flying Squad has noticed that the racket vandalizing electric power lines involve those doing it for economic purposes while others are just doing it for malice.
Enanga said the public has greatly provided information that has led to the arrest of the suspected vandals in areas of Kisenyi, Nsangi, Mukono and Lugazi. In these areas, Enanga said some of the suspect have been caught red-handed with vandalized electric pole angel bars.
Patrick Onyango, the Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson said intelligence led operations in the central division of Kampala have resulted in the recovery of four dozen tons of vandalized electric poles angel bars.
So far, more than 40 tons of vandalized angel bars were recovered in Kisenyi and the suspects arrested in the same areas are Robert Ssebagala, Arafat Maganda, Racheal Kyomugisha, Aisha Naluyima, and Allen Nabakooza.
Onyango said the operation in which the five suspects were arrested in the central division was carried out in three locations; Social Center scrap yard in Mengo parish, Nakitende scrap yard in Budonian village, Mengo and Kisenyi scrap dealers opposite Ham building, central zone Kisenyi I parish, all in the Central division of Kampala City.
“The operation targeted areas where suspected electrical materials are stored and sold in areas of Kisenyi. This comes after reports of constant vandalism of Umeme electrical materials in different parts of the country and are brought and sold in Kisenyi and surrounding areas,” says Onyango.
Enanga said other suspects were arrested in Wakimese zone, Kyengera town council and these include a Uganda People’s Defence Forces –UPDF Lance Corporal James Baryahebwa, whose vehicle Caldina UAP 947W was impounded with vandalized electricity material.
Other than Lance Corporal Baryahebwa, security has arrested other suspects in the same area of Wakimese, Kyengera town council and these are Varensio Arinaitwe, Giberya Kamadi and Joseph Kambira.
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