Uganda arrest Kenyan robbery convict buying guns

A Kenyan national, who was sentenced to 14 years by Bungoma High Court in Kenya for violent robbery but appealed and got court bail, has been arrested in Uganda buying guns.

Festo Mbwere Butisha, a Nairobi Capital City resident, was arrested on August 2 by Uganda Police in Malaba near the Kenya border after buying a pistol from set-up officers.

He has been transferred to Rapid Response Unit offices in Kireka for further interrogations on charges of illegal possession of a firearm.

According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman, Mr Ibin Ssenkumbi, Mbwere has been dealing in arms trafficking from Uganda to Kenya and has confessed to have been using the guns to rob in Nairobi.

“This is dangerous suspect. He has a bigger group he deals with which we are still hunting,” Mr Ssenkumbi said at RRU headquarters on Tuesday.

Police say Mbwere was arrested after robbing a hotel in Malaba on the Kenyan side in 2006. He was prosecuted Bungoma High Court and convicted to 14 years. He appealed at a higher court in Eldoret, western Kenya and also appealed for bail which was granted. Court released him on May, 27, 2010.

After his release, Police said, Mbwere contacted a person in Uganda, whose identity hasn’t been disclosed, to get him a pistol at Ushs1.1 million (Kshs40,000) and a Sub Machine Gun at Shs2.9m (Kshs100,000). That person passed on the information to the police that made arrangements to set a trap and arrest him during the purchase.

“Police got its own pistol and gave it to person he contacted. Fortunately, Mbwere came with the money and paid for the pistol. He also had money for the SMG but wasn’t available. So he promised to come back for it,” Mr Ssenkumbi said.
The tracked Mbwere left with the pistol in his bag and walked up to near the border where he was intercepted.

“When detectives asked him what was in the bag, he told them that it was only clothes. They insisted on checking and found the pistol hid below and arrested him,” he said.

Arms trafficking in still a big problem in the East African region during to porous borders and illegal possession of guns especially in the pastoralist communities.