How plumber caught Ndiga clan head killers on motorbike

When news of the shooting dead of Ndiga Clan leader Daniel Bbosa filtered through social media on Sunday evening, many thought it was the usual story of the assailants finishing off their victims and riding off and disappearing into thin air.

But not this time; they didn’t ride away scot-free.

Mr Abdul Katabazi, 45, a plumber in Kikandwa Zone in Lungujja, Rubaga Division, captured the tragic drama.

He said on Sunday evening at about 5.30pm, Bbosa drove down Kamanya Road to his home; only a few meters away.

They waved to each other, but this was to be their farewell bid. Soon, two men on a motorcycle rode past him at a local restaurant.

Immediately, the passenger on the motorcycle unzipped his bag and pulled out a gun and cocked it. He was puzzled that someone in civilian clothes could pull out a gun in such a place.

As Bbosa slowed down to cross a water channel, the boda cyclist stopped and waited for Bbosa to cross the spot. As Bbosa crossed the stretch, the boda rider hooted for Bbosa to give way. The motorcycle rider then stopped by the driver’s side as the passenger with the gun jumped off the motorcycle and sprayed Bbosa with three bullets through the windscreen.

The assailant then jumped onto the motorcycle and sped uphill to join Kalema Road.

Hot pursuit

By instinct, Mr Katabazi grabbed his motorcycle, jumped onto it and dashed to the scene where he found Bbosa drenched in blood. This raised Mr Katabazi’s adrenalin as he pursued the assailants uphill, alone. As he approached them, he peeped into his side mirror and felt energised as he saw more of his colleagues in hot pursuit.

The assailants sped as they chased each other through the potholed stretch between Kamanya and Prof Apolo Nsibambi roads. But Mr Katabazi did not relent because he wanted justice for his friend, Bbosa.

 Even when they reached a rough patch of the Apolo Nsibambi Road, the killers didn’t slow down, but this proved a blessing.

As they caught up with them at the junction of Apolo Nsibambi Road and Bishop Nsubuga Road in Bulange Zone, the killers turned on them as the gunman removed his killer weapon from the bag to shoot his pursuers. But his gun got entangled in the spokes of the hind tyre of their boda as Mr Katabazi jumped at the gunman who was now powerless and wrestled him to the ground.

Mr Katabazi said he squeezed the gunman’s throat but he fought back and grabbed his neck, freed himself and attempted to flee.

The rider abandoned the motorcycle as he fled on foot, too.

But the killer thug returned to where Mr Katabazi was lying down helpless, to retrieve his gun.

But Mr Katabazi shouted out to a woman in a nearby shop to alert her about the abandoned gun that was used to kill Bbosa.

 His cries attracted the attention of some men at a nearby washing bay, who rescued him and netted the killer, tied him up and dragged him to the washing bay for more beatings.

Mr Katabazi said his efforts to plead with the people at the washing bay to spare the gunman also earned him beatings because they accused him of being part of the gang.  He said the gunman was later handed over to police and taken to Mulago Hospital.

But little did Mr Katabazi know that as he tried to save the life of the actual killer, other people at another washing bay on Apolo Nsibambi Road were beating the life out of the motorcycle rider who was pursued by Mr Katabazi’s colleagues.

Yesterday, as mourners convened at Bbosa’s home to condole with his family, boda boda riders were providing round-the-clock security for Mr Katabazi who has become a village hero and celebrity.

As Daily Monitor was interviewing Mr Katabazi, Mr Robert Kennedy Kaka, the spokesperson of Blessed Heart Foundation, a non-government organisation dealing with less privileged members of society, popped up with a goat for Mr Katabazi and colleagues for their heroic acts.

Ms Winnie Meldon Kintu, the director of the Blessed Heart Foundation, donated the goat.

She said it was only the beginning of their blessings and also to show other people that they will always be rewarded for doing good.