Robbers in police uniform steal Shs71m
Cases of people in uniforms of security uniforms robbing people have been increasing especially on highways. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Police registered 6,854 cases of robberies in 2022 and 5,275 cases in 2021, according to the Police crime report of 2022.
Police in Mbale City have mounted a search for thugs who stole Shs71 million from a Chinese engineer attached to Chinese Railway Sevens Group, a company contracted to construct Kufu- Magale Road in Namisindwa District.
The robbery happened in broad daylight in Lwoki Village, Bombobi Parish, Bumbobi Sub-County, Mbale District on Saturday, according to witnesses.
Mr Moses Wambi, one of the witnesses, told this publication that five robbers in police uniforms intercepted the Chinese official and his driver who were travelling in a Toyota Wish and picked a bag from the vehicle, before escaping through the Butaleja route.
“The thugs assaulted the driver before stealing the money. The four [thugs] were dressed in police uniform while one person was in civilian clothes,” Mr Wambi said.
“The victims claim when they reached at Bungokho Sub-county, the Chinese driver was stopped and ordered out of the car. The thugs continued with the Chinese [engineer] for some distance,” the Elgon regional police spokesperson, Mr Rogers Taitika, said.
Police told Monitor that the injured driver was rushed to Mbale General Clinic for medication, where he is currently admitted.
Sources told this publication that one of the suspected robbers was lynched by a mob in Butaleja District after getting lost in a neighbourhood while another was arrested by police in his hideout.
Police confirmed the arrest of one suspect and the lynching of another.
Victim
Mr Taitika identified the Chinese official as Mr LI Tianbeng, 30, an assistant manager of China Railway Services Group.
“The robbers were travelling in a motor vehicle and they must have trailed them [Chinese] right from Stanbic Bank branch in Mbale Town. They intercepted them and ordered the Chinese to surrender all the money, which he did. The money was meant for the payment of workers,’’ he said.
“Preliminary findings show that there could have been connivance between some employees of the construction firm and the robbers,” Mr Taitika added.
Statistics
Police registered 6,854 cases of robberies in 2022 and 5,275 cases in 2021, according to the Police crime report of 2022.
The same report indicates that 8,960 cases of theft were registered in 2022 while 14,436 were recorded in 2021.
