Suspect detained with 10,000 National IDs linked to aggravated robbery case

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A man who was found with hundreds of National Identity Cards during an operation against wetland encroachers in Lubigi has been linked to a case of aggravated robbery registered in Kibuku district in 2018.

The suspect identified as Hakim Terwane, was arrested by the National Environment Management Authority-NEMA, alongside Environmental Protection Police Unit after 10,722 National IDs were found in his makeshift structure in August this year.

Terwane was also found with 68 Ugandan passports, 237 driving permits, two motor vehicle number plates, warrant cards and ATM cards for different banks. The Criminal Investigations Department subsequently took up the matter to ascertain the circumstances under which the documents ended up in Terwane’s hands.

The detectives have since established that one of the National IDs belonged to Moreen Katumwebaze, who was attacked along Tirinyi-Buseeta road in Kibuku district, and robbed of her phone, laptop among other valuables.

Because Terwane has declined to reveal how all these IDs and other documents ended up in his hands, CID through Assistant Commissioner of Police, Claire Nabakka has asked all Ugandans who lost their IDs and passports to crosscheck with its headquarters at Kibuli, in Kampala.

“This is therefore to appeal to the general public and specifically those who may have lost their National IDs, Passports and Driving Permits to come to CID Headquarters Kibuli Kampala to cross-check and identify their missing documents which will in turn aid in our investigations,” Nabakka said.

Police said Terwane will also be charged with cases related to depriving or dispossessing the holder of his or her national Identification card contrary to section 77(b) and unlawfully keeping or taking possession of a national identity card that belongs to another person in line with section 77 (e) of the Registration of Persons Act among others.

Nabakka said CID is working with respective issuing agencies of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Works and Transport, to thoroughly verify all the documents and confirm that they are genuine.

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