UPDF soldier confesses to murdering six people in Jinja robberies 

Lance corporal John Nabinoli ( handcupped in grey T-shirt) leads detectives to one of the shooting scenes along Main Street road in Jinja city. Photo/URN

What you need to know:

  • Nabinoli alongside private, Patrick Amandwa, the armory guard at Gaddafi barracks, were last week arrested for allegedly orchestrating armed robberies in Jinja city.

Lance corporal John Nabinoli, the weapons director at the noncommissioned officers academy (NCOA), located in Gaddafi barracks on Friday confessed to have masterminded five separate shooting incidents within Jinja city, in a spate of two years.

Nabinoli alongside Private Patrick Amandwa, the armory guard at Gaddafi barracks, were last week arrested for allegedly orchestrating armed robberies in Jinja city.
The duo were later detained at Nalufenya police for further interrogation however, on Friday morning, Nabinoli explained to police detectives how he had individually executed five shooting incidents in Jinja city.

A team of police forensic personnel and detectives led by the Kiira regional CID, Allan Twishime, revisited the shooting scenes, where Nabinoli explained how all the victims were attacked and killed.
The first shooting was executed in October, 2020, where, Ronald Mawa, a security guard from Hash Security services limited was shot dead while guarding crested crane hotel.  

The second attack was executed on December 20, 2020 when Rodgers Wabuyeka, a security guard attached to Daren security services limited was shot dead outside Space cafe restaurant, located along Main Street in southern division in Jinja city. Nabinoli told detectives that Wabuyeka was his friend but they developed misunderstandings over issues he declined to express in the presence of the press.

The third incident was on October 7, 2021, where James Akabwai was shot dead at Stabex petrol station and Nabinoli reveals that he fled with Shs2 million. He told police that his main target was money however, Akabwai was shot dead while trying to run after him.
The fourth mission was executed on November 12, 2021 where, Juliet Mirembe and her boyfriend, Sadam Waiswa, were shot dead while standing outside Lwanda primary school, located in Northern division in Jinja city. Nabinoli declined to explain the motive of this shooting since they never robbed anything from the couple and the vehicle which they had fled with, was abandoned in Kakira sugarcane plantation.

The fifth incident involved the killing of 23-year-old Ause Lubandi, a security guard attached to JAG security group who had been deployed to guard Global petrol station, located along Kamuli road.
Nabinoli explained that the main intention in his past four shootings was majorly to rob guns, which would help him in the smooth execution of successful armed robberies without leaving behind any links of him to the UPDF.

Nabinoli further revealed that he never intended to harm any unarmed civilians throughout all his missions and that he only killed those who crossed his path but declined to expedite circumstances under which civilians interfered with his operations.