One arrested for targeting government vehicles with petrol bombs

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have arrested one of the five suspects wanted for hurling petrol bombs at government vehicles in Kampala. The suspect whose identity has been withheld by police was picked up from Nansana municipality in Wakiso district.

His arrest follows a joint security operation launched on Saturday to hunt for five people accused of hurling petrol bombs at government vehicles. According to police, the suspects were captured on different CCTV footage carrying out attacks in different parts of the city including Katwe, Nateete and Busega.

Police says one of the suspects was seen riding motorcycle registration number UEU 391F while hurling the petrol bomb on a government vehicle registration number UG 0450T on June 23, 2020. The occupants survived unhurt in Nateete.

In the second incident, the suspects politely asked the driver of motor vehicle registration number UG 0182H to stop for them to cross. When the driver stopped, they pulled out a hammer and hit his windscreen. The suspects were unable to execute their mission and fled the scene after their hammer fell inside the vehicle in Katwe.

The third attack occurred at Busega-Mityana roundabout where the group hurled flammable liquid in a bottle at a government vehicle registration number UG 0199K on June 26, 2020. The explosive burst into flames on the co-driver’s side but members of the public managed to put-off the fire.

Patrick Onyango, the Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson says one of the suspects was traced and arrested by security teams in Nansana Wakiso district on Sunday night.

He says the suspect, a boda boda rider around Ham Towers in Kampala has been transferred to Katwe police station for further management as the hunt for the rest continues.

“He has admitted that he is the one in the picture we released over the weekend to the media. We are still looking for other suspected criminals who have been involved in these criminal acts,” Onyango said.

In March this year, police arrested three people in connection to four separate attacks on government vehicles in Kampala. One of the vehicles parked at Kawempe police station was burnt beyond recognition.

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