Nine suspects believed to be part of the criminal gang behind numerous robberies in Mbarara City are in police custody.
The suspects are Nulu Muwonge, Darious Mukundane, Dominic Kakuru, Abdu Ukasha, Kenedy Nsimire, Charles Nuwamanya, Farouk Lubega, Derrick Nuwagaba, and Raps Atwijukire.
The suspects were picked up from Kakiika, and Lugazi villages in Mbarara City North, and Sheema district.
Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson, says that they picked up the suspects in an intelligence-led operation that started last week following several complaints filed at different police posts around the city.
According to Kasasira, the suspects have been staging illegal roadblocks and robberies using machetes in Rwizi region.
He says the suspects have been masquerading as taxi operators before robbing passengers or even killing some in the process.
He says that police found the suspects with 5 pangas, a vehicle registration number UBM 141 E, and two motorcycle registration numbers UEW 139D and UEM 938 B that they would use to transport the stolen items.
He says that they also recovered 10 Laptops, 55 Television Screens, 12 phones, clothes, and 5 woofers from the suspect’s home.
According to Kasasira, preliminary police investigations show that the suspects include buyers and sellers of the stolen property while some are hosts to the suspects.
He says they are still hunting for the owner of a shop at Ebenezer Arcade that sells second-hand properties only identified as Akiiza who is suspected to be the gang leader
Adolf Ayoreka, one of the robbery attacks says that the criminal gang members move in a group of fours with machetes and way lay their victims in the dark on their way home.
He says that the suspects often operate in dark spots along Kakoba road and wants police to increase both foot and vehicle patrols to arrest the entire gang.
Micheal Muhereza, another robbery victim says the suspects travel from Mbarara to Kabwohe in Sheema where they terrorize residents noting that they have decided to impose a lockdown because of thieves.
Last week, unknown assailants killed Fabian Bagambagye, the LC 1 chairperson Lugazi cell in Ndeija Sub County in Rwampara district shortly after boarding a taxi to Mbarara to pay workers at a construction site and made away with 8 million Shillings.
The assailants dump the body of their victim along the Mbarara Ntungamo Highway.
