Katumba shooting: Police say second suspected assassin is ex-boda boda 2010 member

Police have said the second suspected assassin detained over the shooting of Works and Transport Minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, is a former member of the defunct motorcyclists commercial transport organization, Boda Boda 2010.

Armed assailants on June 1, 2021 sprayed bullets at a car carrying the former police chief in an assassination attempt, wounding him and killing his daughter Brenda Nantogo and driver Haruna Kayondo.

Police on Tuesday told journalists in Kampala that Huzaifa Wampa alias Kanaabe, a 30-year-old, is a former member of Boda Boda 2010, and was allegedly the second shooter being ridden by one Walusimbi Kamada alias Mudinka alias Ogema during the attack on the former army commander.

Police said he was tracked down and arrested yesterday from his hide-out in Kikomeko village, near Kalule Trading Centre, Nakatonya Parish, Nyimbwa Subcounty, in Luwero District in central Uganda. 

“An immediate thorough search was conducted at his known premises, and the motorcycle Bajaj Boxer, red in colour registration number UEO 375D, that was used during the attack was recovered.  Other relevant exhibits recovered include the hood that he used to cover his head, an assortment of jackets, gloves, warm suits, and another motorcycle, Bajaj red in colour, registration number UDH 888V that was used in the surveillance of their targets,” said police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga.

Police further told journalists that Wampa admitted to participating in a series of planned and highly sophisticated murders and aggravated robberies within the country that led to the murder of 14 persons, the attempted murder of three people and three major aggravated robberies. 

These, according to CP Enanga include; the murder of Maj Muhammad Kiguundu and his bodyguard Sgt. Stephen Mukasa in 2016; the late AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard Cpl. Erau Kenneth and the driver Cpl. Godfrey Mambewa in 2017; the double murder of No.560 SPC Hussein Mubiru and No. 169 SPC Kalungi Moses, and the attempted murder of Evarest Hakiza at Ntake Bakery, Kalerwe; the murder of Frank Anania, Bugembe Amim, Atukuru Jimmy and Abaho Frank at Nansana Cheap Hardware Stores, the murder of Okoth Button at City Supermarket, Mpererwe, and the most recent murder of Nantongo Brenda and Kayondo Haruna, and the attempted assassination of General Edward Katumba Wamala and his body guard Sgt Khalid Kuboit. 

The aggravated robberies linked to the terror group are the Ntake Bakery in Kalerwe where they allegedly robbed Shs33m in 2017; Nansana Cheap Stores where they allegedly robbed Shs300m, City Supermarket at Mpererwe where they allegedly robbed Shs 2.2m and an additional Shs4.5m from a mobile money attendant.

“Our focus now shifts to tracking down the overall coordinator of the domestic terror cells, a one Sheikh Abu Ubaida Badir Diin Bukenya.  He has been actively recruiting assailants and reactivating the terror cells.  We have widely shared his photos and put out a reward of Shs5m, for any one with credible information that can lead to his arrest,” CP Enanga added.

According to him, the suspects are “very deadly and militant”. 

“In the counter terror operations that we conducted, most of the suspects were violent and confrontational, to the raids made on their hide-outs and during the recovery of the killer weapons, i.e. the two AK47 guns and a pistol and other relevant exhibits, from Nansana, Katooke, Matugga, Maganjo, Namuwongo and Kalule-Bombo.  Two of our officers who were seriously injured are still nursing wounds,” he said.

Kanaabe’s arrest comes hours after the High Court in Kampala gave government up to Friday to produce death certificates or photos of Lubwama and the three other suspects who were killed by police.

The order by Judge Musa Ssekaana was prompted by a plea made by defence lawyer Geoffrey Turyamusiima who wanted proof that four of his clients were killed by security.

“The Attorney General’s representative has served me with their reply, saying four of the applicants are dead but without attaching death certificates as proof,” Mr Turyamusiima said.

The suspects include Hussein Wahab Lubwama, alias Christopher Kinene alias Master, Ramadan Mustafa Kwawa, alias Musa alias Amin, Juma Saidi, and Serwadda Idris, alias Swakibu alias Juma.

During yesterday’s court session, Mr Turyamusiima told court that their earlier application in which they were seeking to have their clients brought to court whether dead or alive had partly been over taken by events.

“My lord, this application has partly been overtaken by events since applicants 1 (Kamada Walusimbi alias Mudinka), 2 (Muhammed Kagugube), and 3 (Siriman Kisambira alias Mukwasi), have since been produced before court,” he said.

The State also told court that one suspect, Taata Juma, was not in their custody so they are not liable for his whereabouts.

The court had set yesterday to hear the said application but the State arraigned three suspects before Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court on July 8.

They were charged with one count of terrorism, two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder before being sent on remand at Kitalya prison until August 3.

Over a fortnight ago, police at a media conference revealed that they shot Lubwama dead as he tried to run away during arrest while Kwawa was killed when he attempted to escape from security operatives as he was being escorted back to the crime scene for reconstruction.