Cyclist shot dead as police ban boda boda stages near banks

The boda-boda rider was shot by a private security guard. PHOTO/FILE 

What you need to know:

  • The cyclist, Aramadhan Kiggundu, succumbed to gun wounds while being taken to hospital.

Police have stopped boda boda cyclists from parking or establishing stages near financial institutions following an increase in cases where bank clients are attacked moments after making withdrawals.

Subsequently, several banks have pinned up signposts prohibiting boda boda cyclists from parking in their yards. 
Kampala Metropolitan police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the ban is due to security reasons. 

“There have been many cases where criminals who use motorcycles park near banks. After bank clients come out with bags containing money, they follow them to an unsecure place where they attack and rob them of their money,” Mr Owoyesigyire said yesterday. 

He said security agencies thought it wise to ensure that boda boda cyclists are banned from establishing stages or gatherings near financial institutions.

“Boda boda cyclists should work with the local authorities to get them stages in gazetted areas. Bank parking yards aren’t places gazetted for them to wait for passengers,” Mr Owoyesigyire added.

The ban has caused a clash between security personnel and some boda boda cyclists who have been operating near financial institutions.

Boda boda man shot dead
On Monday, a guard attached to Pinnacle Security Company, while guarding Bank of Africa at Equatorial Shopping Mall in Kampala City centre, shot a boda boda cyclist who had refused to leave the yard at around 6.30pm.
The cyclist, Aramadhan Kiggundu, later succumbed to gun wounds while being taken to hospital.

The guard was later arrested and has been detained on offence of murder at Central Police Station in Kampala City. Mr Owoyesigyire said the business community in Kampala City has suffered a string of robberies by people on motorcycles. 

Last month, four thugs attacked Mr Kannankutty Krisnamaham and robbed him of €100,000 (Shs433m) near Kitgum House junction on Jinja Road in broad daylight as members of the public and police officers looked on. 
Many other incidents have even been captured by the police CCTV cameras.  The criminals trail their victims and then punch them until they are unconscious before running away with the bags containing the money. 

Last year, thugs riding motorcycles trailed Mr Ahmed Hassan, an assistant manager of Amal Forex Bureau, and Mr Ismael Mohammad, the cashier of Amal Forex, from DTB Bank Equatorial Mall where they had withdrawn Shs380m.

The suspects jumped off their cycles, swarmed around their victims and pushed one who had a bag containing money.  The suspects disappeared and haven’t been arrested since.  

2019 Robberies

In August 2019, Mr Hassan Maalim, a Kenyan national, was carrying money in a car from DTB Bank on Kampala Road to Equity Bank around Arua Park when he was attacked by a gang of boda boda motorcycles. He lost Shs300m. In August 2019, a Chinese national was attacked in Bweyogerere, a city suburb, and robbed of Shs37m.

In July 2019, boda boda motorcyclists, six in number, attacked a Congolese national and robbed him of Shs86.6m after alighting from a bus at Mutundwe, Kampala.