Four arrested with 2,000 government mosquito nets

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Four people have been arrested after they were found in possession of 2,100 government mosquito nets. The suspects have been identified as Israel Musaazi, Christopher Habomugisha, Baker Musoke and Richard Ndigizimana.

They were intercepted along Kira road two days ago by the 999 patrol team that became suspicious of a vehicle moving in curfew hours.

Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson said that when the police checked the premio vehicle UAG 107D, they found it loaded with government labelled mosquito nets. Police say the group was tasked to explain how they had acquired the nets and where they were taking them in the wee hours but they had no answers prompting their arrest.

“We know these are mosquito nets supposed to be given out to citizens at no cost. These people had no document and could not ably explain how they got them. We arrested them for having government stores,” Owoyesigyire said.

Musaazi in his statement at Kampala Central Police Station- CPS said he was going to sell the mosquito nets because he had got them from an official working with the Ministry of Health. He adds that he does not know the name of the official who gave him the nets.

“I called an official from the ministry of health to give me some nets to distribute to people in Kifumbira. I wanted 13 bundles but I was given 30. I thought the rest were for selling since the distribution exercise had ended,” Musaazi states in his statement.

The government distributed free mosquito nets in Kampala city suburbs between January 11 and 12 this year. This was just two days to presidential and parliamentary elections.

Owoyesigyire said police wonders why Musaazi did not distribute the nets to citizens or take them back after the exercise had ended. Musoke in his statement said he was just hired to transport the mosquito nets and does not know where and how Musaazi got them.

“I am a driver and my work was to drive these people and their mosquito nets. I don’t know whether they were stolen or not.”

Ndigizimana also disassociated himself from mosquito nets theft claiming he was approached by Musaazi who he refers to as chairman to sell the nets. Ndigizimana insists in his statement that he was only going to get a commission on every net sold and it was going to be a good deal for him.

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