Police mounts search for 2 suspected armed robbers

Kampala

Police are hunting for for two suspects believed to be behind a series of random attacks on city dwellers with the latest victim reported in Kyengera, a Kampala suburb. The suspected armed thugs are reported to have placed Mr Robert Nyakasi, a trader, on gunpoint and robbed him of Shs900,000 at about 10pm on Tuesday night before tying him with ropes in his house.

Police say the thugs escaped but two other people suspected to have information about there whereabouts were detained and are helping with investigations. “When the victim made an alarm, residents and police came to his aid. So far, two people have been arrested whom we believe are connected to these armed robbers,” a police officer attached to Kyengera Police Post, said. This is the second armed robbery incident carried out in a similar way in Kyengera.

More robberies
On Monday, two robbers armed with a semi-automatic rifle, suspected to be the same perpetrators in the Kyengera incident, attacked another resident and robbed occupants of their property before tying them with ropes.
Armed robberies in the city, especially in Kyengera, Nateete, Entebbe Road and areas around the Northern Bypass are on the rise.

At least a dozen people have been shot at, of which five were killed, since mid-June in the city. Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Andrew Felix Kaweesi said the Force is intensely following their trail. “We have started arresting suspects collaborating with them. We are yet to get the guns they are using. I want to sure you that their days are numbered,” Mr Kaweesi said.

On Monday, a businessman, Mr William Lubega, was shot in the leg in Kyebando, a city suburb, following an attempted robbery. Another armed robbery was carried out in Bweyogerere, east of Kampala, in which a shopkeeper was robbed of Shs300,000 on Sunday.

Police investigators say the two thugs believed to be carrying out these serial robberies dress in black jackets and move around on a numberless boda boda motorcycle. They trail their victims and shoot them when they are opening or closing their businesses, a police investigator said.
The investigator said the thugs are not interested in large sums of money.

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