Police have made breakthrough in Masaka attacks- IGP Kayihura
One of the suspects, Musa Ggaliwango being led to a waiting police truck at Masaka Central Police Station. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER KISEKKA
The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura has said police have restored normalcy in Masaka Sub-region after arresting one of the prime suspects in the latest spate of night attacks on people’s homes by machete-wielding assailants in the area.
Addressing a press briefing at Kisojjo Village; one of the affected villages in Kibinge Sub County, Bukomansimbi District on Monday evening, Gen Kayihura, identified the alleged ringleader as Musa Ggaliwango; who according to him had for long been on police’s wanted list over deadly crimes in the area.
“We arrested him and to our surprise, he does not deny the offences. Actually, he [Ggaliwango] responds with a lot of arrogance, questioning how we manage to trace him,” Gen Kayihura said
The IGP explained that Ggaliwango was arrested alongside three of his accomplices with whom they have been raiding communities in Masaka Sub-region.
The IGP observed that their intelligence had clearly connected the suspects to the latest and earlier attacks in the sub region. Hours before Gen Kayihura addressed journalists, Ggaliwango and his accomplices were arraigned before Masaka Chief Magistrate Samuel Munobe and charged with aggravated robbery and murder. They were then remanded to Masaka Central Prison until March 1, when hearing of the case will commence.
Other suspects are; Twahiru Muwonge and Mubarak Kawunde, both residents of Bukomansimbi and Deo Kiggundu, who is said to be a resident of Masaka District.
Gen Kayihura said Ggaliwango and his accomplices are some of the suspects who were earlier arrested and taken to court but later released on bail over murder and cases of aggravated robbery. The IGP said they regrouped and started terrorising residents.
According to the IGP, some of the victims have been able to identify the suspects who accordingly appeared before Masaka chief Magistrates court where several accounts including murder were read to them before being remanded.
“Just like the commitment of the president [Museveni; our joint security teams have been working tirelessly to solve this question of who is responsible for these murders. Many people have been making speculations about it,” he noted.
Latest attacks
On the New Year’s Day, unknown assailants descended on four villages in Bukomansimbi and Lwengo districts and killed four people including a retired senior police officer, Dennis Ssebugwawo and left 11 others injured.
