Main criminal gang in Makindye netted

Police parades suspected thugs before the media at Katwe Police Station on Friday after being caught breaking into one of the supermarkets in Makindye. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI.

What you need to know:

The gang’s arrest follows consecutive robberies at one supermarket in the area.

Kampala.

Police on Thursday night laid a trap in Makindye Division, netting a gang of seven suspected hardcore criminals headed by Medi Malyenjo, aka Jjaja.
The trap followed consecutive robberies at Mark Supermarket in Makindye.
Before their arrest, the police had that night planted officers at the supermarket waiting for the thugs to attack.
According to the Kampala Metropolitan South Regional Police Commander, Mr James Ruhweza, the gang specialises in breaking safes, robbing supermarkets and stealing cars.

“We arrested the thugs that have been terrorising the residents of Makindye and Katwe. We are going to charge them with aggravated robbery and we hope the court can give them a strong punishment,” Mr Ruhweza said.
At 2pm, Jjaja and six of his gang members arrived at the supermarket aboard a Toyota Corolla car and started breaking the lock of the supermarket.
The gang members had only broken the lock when they were surrounded by police. Gunshots were heard as they attempted to flee.

Whereas some of the suspects were arrested at the scene, some escaped and were picked from their respective homes, given that they had been recognised.
The suspects have since confessed having attempted to break into the supermarket, saying their intention was to break into the safe which they had been informed had money.

“I came to Kampala to make money. I break safes using these machines (showing the machines police had recovered). We had been told that there was money in the safe and that’s why we came here,” Jjaja, told the media yesterday at the supermarket.

He added: “It is wrong to say that we use guns.”
One of the gang members only identified as Ashraf told police that he had not stolen in Uganda since he returned from Congo where he was a known safe breaker.