The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have named 19-year-old Bashir Lubega, as the prime suspect in the attack on Advance Smart Micro Finance in Wobulenzi town council, Luwero district, which claimed the life of a security guard. Lubega was picked up in an operation involving the Flying Squad unit and detectives from Luwero Central Police Station early this week.
Police also recovered two SAR rifles, which Lubega is suspected to have stolen from private security guards. Lubega, who is currently locked up at Luwero Central Police Station, allegedly disguised himself as a mentally ill man during the attack on Advance Smart Micro Finance in Modern zone, Wobulenzi town.
He reportedly shot dead 20-year-old Leone Odongo, a private guard with SGA security company, and made off with his rifle. Patrick Lule, the Acting Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson says that Lubega confessed to masterminding the attack and helped police to dig up the two guns he had stolen.
According to Lule, the suspect told detectives he managed to steal the first gun from a guard from Pyramid Security Company who had locked it in the house and gone for prayers. It’s the same gun Lubega used to launch the attack and get the second gun.
Lule also revealed that Lubega told detectives that he trained himself on the use of firearms and tested his skills a few days before the attack by shooting at billboards along the highway.
On Tuesday, the Flying Squad and detectives took Lubega back to the scene of his alleged crimes and training ground at a sand quarry located in Lutembe village, Katikamu sub-county. It is alleged that Lubega told the operatives that he didn’t want to kill the guard but he refused to voluntarily surrender his arm.
“We are still investigating how a youth who is a civilian got the military skills to use the gun and courage to attack armed guards,” a detective said. Police have since preferred charges of aggravated robbery and murder against Lubega. Odongo was the fifth security personnel to be killed and his gun stolen in Luwero district.
In July this year, four men armed with machetes overran a police checkpoint in Kiwumpa village along the Kampala-Gulu highway and hacked two police constables leaving one dead, and made off with two firearms. On October 31st, 2022, about seven assailants armed with a pistol and firearms raided Busiika Police Station and shot dead two policemen.
The thugs made off with two firearms. One of the police officers succumbed to the gunshot wounds a few days later at Mulago National Refferal Hospital. The assailants have so far stolen six guns from Luwero district. However, police have only recovered two guns belonging to private security companies.
On Tuesday evening, President Yoweri Museveni said that two of the attackers at Busiika police station belonged to the rebel Allied Democratic Forces, and were gunned down this week during a raid on their cell in Matugga.
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