New rebel group responsible for murder of officers: Uganda Police

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda police on Tuesday said a new rebel group is responsible for the murder of several police officers in the central region.

Charles Twiine, spokesperson of the Criminal Investigations Directorate said in a tweet that a gang operating under Uganda Coalition Forces of Change was burst by police and they confessed to the murders.

The gang which revealed that they were recruited from areas of Wakiso confessed to having murdered police officers in Busunju and Kibogo on Dec. 7 and Dec. 17 respectively, Twiine said.

He said two police guns that had been robbed from the police officers have so far been recovered and eight suspects have been arrested.

Twiine said the suspects will be charged with murder and aggravated robbery.

Full Police report

The Directorate of Crime Intelligence in close coordination with FSU, and the Territorial Commanders in Wamala Region, have made a break through in their operations and arrested 8 suspects who form part of a newly formed rebel group, the Uganda Coalition forces of charge (UCFC), with other members, to purposely carry out violent attacks on security personnel and other civilian targets. The group is highly connected to the deadly attacks on 4 police officers attached to Busujju Police Station and Nakasozi Police Post respectively. 4 guns were robbed during these deadly attacks.

The facts gathered indicate that the collaborators, agents and operatives of the rebel outfit, opened two camps in Mityana district. One of them was at Wabunyira-Busujju and the other one at Kikandwa village. It is from these camps that their operatives lured two police officers namely; CPL Okech Alfred and PC Kigongo Moses, into an ambush where they killed and robbed two guns from them.

The operatives deserted the two camps, after the deadly attack at Busujju and shifted their base to the wetlands at Kabusi village, Bukuyo Town Council in Kassanda district. And it is from this new camp that they carried out another deadly attack on the 17.12.2021 at Nakasozi Police Post and killed two police officers who included CPL Nsubuga Francis and SPC Ddimba Paul. And then robbed their guns.

As a result, our task teams built on credible leads gained from their former camps in Mityana, and tracked the assailants in Kassanda district. A successful raid was conducted on their hide-out in a wetland along the Kassanda – Kiboga road in Kabusi village, where eight (8) suspects were rounded up and arrested. These include; Makumbi Mosh alias Engineer, the field commander, and a resident of Wakiso, Lugendo Stuart Savior alias Kufateeka, a 28 year old, male adult, and Deputy Field Commander from Wakiso district; Mulindwa Julius, a 32 year male adult, from Bukerekere village, Wakiso; Masembe John Nasif, a 28 year old male adult from Kassanda district; Yamuremire Paul, a 19 year old male adult from Kisoro district, Ssenyonga Bob Robert, a 25 year old male adult from Rakai district, Nabukenya Topista, a 50 year old female adult from Namayumba, Wakiso, and Matovu Silvester, a 21 year old male adult from Wakiso town council.

The Field Commander of the group, Makumbi Mosh alias Engineer, clearly indicated how they were recruited, majorly from Wakiso district. And thereafter, transported to their bases in Mityana, where they underwent basic training in guerrilla war tactics. They were further provided with material support and encouraged to conduct violent attacks on police officers, in advancement of the goals of the rebel group, of over throwing the current government. At the time of their arrest, they had concluded plans of attacking Sekanyonyi Police Station and acquire more guns. And also eliminate police officers whom they doomed as obstacles in their alleged fight for freedom.

The arrests do underscore our resolve and commitment to identify, pursue and arrest all actors of violence. Our operations to truck down all other members including the sponsors and coordinators of the rebel group are still active and ongoing. The eight (8) suspects are being processed on charges of terrorism, being in unlawful possession of dangerous weapons, murder and aggravated robbery.

We want to thank all persons who have volunteered information about the rebel group to us. We further call upon all Ugandans to always get involved in the fight against crime and related acts of violence. For instance the rebel group pitched camp in Mityana for several months before shifting to Kabusi village, in Kassanda district. Very few members of the public took interest in their suspicious behaviours and yet fighting crime is a shared responsibility.

As we conclude, we want to assure Ugandans and visitors in the country, that their safety and security will always be a top priority. We pledge to continue disrupting and dismantling such kinds of rebel activity and other deadly plots against our country.

*****

CP Enanga Fred