New twist as police arrest owner, victims after armed attack on mobile money shop

The mobile money shop that was attacked by runaway assailants on June 1, 2023. PHOTO/AMBROSE MUSASIZI

A new twist has emerged in the search for armed robbers who last Thursday attacked a mobile money shop in Kalisizo Town, Kyotera District after Police arrested the shop proprietor and his two employees.  

Shop owner Maurice Lwanga was on Saturday detained alongside his workers John Bosco Kisolo and Cathy Namanda and the trio is currently held at Masaka central Police Station.

In a movie-like night attack, armed gunmen raided Lwanga Maurice Mobile Money shop at Ziriddamu Shopping Centre, opened fire and later put Kisolo and Namanda at gunpoint before fleeing the scene with millions of shillings in a sack.

At the time (8pm) of the attack, the two employees were in the shop balancing books.

According to Lwanga, he lost Shs150m to the robbers.

Since the incident, there have been unconfirmed reports suggesting that the attack could have been an “inside job.”

Twaha Kasirye, the acting southern regional police spokesperson has said they are holding the trio to help security with investigations.

“We did not arrest Lwanga and his employees like people allege, we only invited them to record statements about what happened and we are going to release them as soon as detectives are through with their work,” he said.

This is the third similar incident in the district in a space of one year after another Mobile Money agent only identified as Ronnie was also robbed twice by armed robbers who made away with over Shs60 million and mobile phones worth Shs40 million. This occurred as Ronnie was entering his residence in Kyotera Town.