Police quiz hotel managers over hosting criminal gangs

KAMPALA. The police have quizzed the managers of Mt Zion Hotel in Makerere Kavule over accommodating criminals linked to the recent wave of violent house break-ins and attacks in Kampala city suburbs and the Greater Masaka sub-region.
The 30 suspects of machete and other crude weapons attacks who were paraded before the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura and the press on Monday at Katwe Police Station in Kampala, said they were mobilised and briefed before setting out for the attacks at Zion Hotel.
Mr Asan Kasingye, the police spokesman, confirmed to Daily Monitor that the police had interrogated the hotel managers for concealing criminals that have caused fear and panic among Ugandans.
“This is something we could not ignore. If the criminals admit they were being mobilised at that hotel; as police, we had to summon them to explain why they did not alert the police,” Mr Kasingye said.
Mr Juma Munirwa and Mr Suleiman Tumusiime, alias Kabaya, said their bosses Bruce Bukenya alias BK, Siraje Sekandi and a one Senga, would summon them for the meetings at Mt Zion Hotel.
Mr Munirwa shocked the country when he confessed before Gen Kayihura and the press on Monday that their meetings at Mt Zion Hotel were secured by police officers with police patrol cars. He narrated that one of the meetings that the police guarded was attended by more than 250 of the thugs.
But stung and shaken by Munirwa unexpected disclosure that day, the police quickly whisked him off to an adjoining room only to be brought back later by Mr Henry Ayebare, the head of Kampala Metropolitan North region investigations department, to ‘make clarifications’ on his unsettling confession.
Gen Kayihura then also quickly dismissed Mr Munirwa’s confession, insisting that he would never shield such errant officers in the police force.
Mr Asan Kasingye in a follow up press statement issued on Tuesday said the police paraded the suspects to show the public that the police and sister security agencies were succeeding in the fight against criminality.
When Daily Monitor visited the hotel yesterday, it looked deserted with all its gates closed, but one of the workers who preferred not to be named said they had been ordered not to speak to strangers.
“If you want anything you have to go through our manager Diana. I will give you her contact so that you can call her and meet,” the worker said.
By press time, Daily Monitor had not managed to get in touch with Diana since her phone remained inaccessible.
More than 100 suspects have been arrested in Greater Masaka sub-region and 50 of the numbers have since been arraigned before court. In Kampala, the police have arrested close to 50 suspects who were picked up from city suburbs of Najjera, Namugongo, Katwe and Kamwokya.
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