Gun stolen from Mpigi prison wardress while on WhatsApp recovered, two arrested
Uganda Prisons Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Baine (pictured) said the gun was recovered but they are still hunting for the person who had stolen it. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Police authorities in Mpigi District told the Daily Monitor that preliminary investigation showed that the prison wardress was on WhatsApp before her gun was stolen.
Police with other security agencies in Wakiso District have detained two people after recovering a gun stolen from Mpigi prison wardress two months ago.
The gun with a rifle number UG. Pol. 565832340-40779 was recovered on Tuesday evening in a bush about three meters outside the ring of Bwebajja Senior Command Staff College along Entebbe road in Wakiso district.
Mr Frank Baine, Uganda Prisons Service Public Relations Officer said the gun was recovered but they are still hunting for the person who had stolen it from the wardress.
"Yes the gun is back in the hands of the government but unfortunately, we don't know who had stolen it. The thugs are still hunted and will be apprehended. They left finger prints on the rifle. It will ease the work of the investigators to trace them. They can run but can't hide," he said.
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Gun stolen from prison wardress while on WhatsApp
Eyewitnesses told this reporter that the assailant came with an arrow, slapped the wardress twice and picked the gun from her before fleeing into a nearby forest
He said that the gun was grabbed from a prison wardress attached to Mpigi Prison in Mpigi Town Council on October 21, 2019.
"The wardress was already charged with negligence (but released on bail). All our guns are marked and we are the best in record keeping," Mr Baine added.
When contacted on Wednesday, Kampala Metropolitan Area Police Spokesman Patrick Onyango said a team of police officers led by Kajjansi Division Police Commander Mr Apollo Kyangungu proceeded to the scene of crime and found the SMG rifle wrapped in a polythene bag with 28 rounds of ammunition.
"An SMG rifle was recovered together with other items like a pair of gaggles and toothbrush. Inquiries into the matter are still at hand. The said rifle was first seen by police constable Denis Ongwen No. 58220 of FFU attached to the college. He had gone for a short call who later informed his commanders," he said.
Two people were arrested at the scene including Patrick Osinde and Ronald Onyapid, to assist police detectives in investigations.
Background
Police started investigating a case two months ago in which unidentified man attacked a prison wardress attached to Mpigi Prisons Service and stole a gun from her.
The prison wardress identified as Hadijah Katono was attacked during a downpour while guarding prisoners in Mpigi Town Council.
Police authorities in Mpigi District told the Daily Monitor that preliminary investigation showed that the prison wardress was on WhatsApp before her gun was stolen.
Eyewitnesses also said that the assailant came with an arrow, slapped the wardress twice and picked the gun from her before fleeing into a nearby forest.
Since then, security organs have been hunting for the gun and the incident left residents in fear on suspicion that the stolen gun could be used to terrorise them.
