Kaweesi killing linked to ADF, say police

KAMPALA- Police investigations into all possible clues in the gruesome killing of Assistant Inspector General of Police, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, now points to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels.

A police source said the ADF rebels are attempting to create several decoys to divert the force from pursuing a credible clue.

The ADF leader, Jamil Mukulu, is in govt custody undergoing trial.

Kaweesi, his bodyguard Kenneth Erau, and driver Godfrey Wambewo were gunned down by unknown gunmen riding on motorcycles a few metres away from his home in Kulambiro, a Kampala suburb on March 17.

At least seven people, three of whom have been on the security watch list on suspicion of being ADF collaborators, have been arrested in connection with the killing of Kaweesi and two other officers.

Police spokesperson AIGP Asan Kasingye, could not firmly state that the clues lead them to suspect the ADF, but confirmed that it is one of the many they are following.

“We are investigating and following several clues. I have been ordered by the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, not to give up any information about the investigations now. We shall give information when we have concluded investigations,” said Mr Kasingye yesterday.

Detained
According to Mr Kasingye, the suspects are detained at Nalufenya Police Station in Jinja District, one of the highly and tightly protected detention facilities in the country, which houses deadly criminals and other high profile suspects.
“What I can tell is that the suspects we have are cooperative and are giving us very good information that would help in getting whoever was involved in this crime,” added Mr Kasingye.

The killing of Kaweesi mirrors the shooting of Muslim clerics in the country, where assailants typically use boda bodas to waylay their victims and shoot them at close range with precision of a sniper.

On several occasions, the ADF rebels have been at the centre of accusation in the killings of Maj Muhammad Kiggundu, State Prosecutor Joan Kagezi, Muslim clerics, including former ADF rebels around the country, among others. New details have emerged that two days before the killing of Kaweesi, the police directors were briefed about the impending attacks on them.

Cautioned
A source said the Director of Counter Terrorism, Mr John Ndungutse, told the officers to be wary of attacks by a regrouping pack of ADF rebels.

According to the source, the directors did not take the precaution seriously but tasked the Director of Police Criminal Intelligence, Lt Col Atwooki Ndahura, to provide a detailed report on the matter.
Lt Col Ndahura is expected to present a report tomorrow (Wednesday) during the police accountability committee (PAC).

Tracking mobile phones
In another development, sources say police investigators are tracking all mobile phone communications near the crime scene in Kulambiro, Nakawa Divsion, but their efforts have hit a dead end after several Simcards they suspect were used by the suspects were not registered and have since been switched off.

Although Mr Kasingye declined to talk about the progress of the investigations, especially on the issue of failure to intercept information on the suspects’ communications, he passingly said Uganda Communications Commission should switch off all unregistered Simcards, saying they are causing a hitch in pursuing criminals.

“Why do we still have unregistered numbers. Those numbers should be cut off. The criminals drop the telephone lines after using them for criminal activities,” Mr Kasingye said.

There are allegations that the slain Kaweesi had earlier received death threats from a mobile phone whose Simcard was unregistered.
A source said this prompted Kaweesi to give stringent directives to his driver never to make stopovers.

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