The notorious city robbery suspect police couldn’t keep

Until his arrested and remand in 2012, it was a cat and mouse chase between police and Sobi that lasted more than three years, with the then Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi alleging that Sobi was being offered preferential treatment by the magistrates at Buganda Road Court.

According to police intelligence records, Sobi, 36, was a one-time police informer who turned rogue and became the leader of a group of petty criminals who snatched bags and phones on Kampala streets and concerts.
“He organised people to snatched bags and phones, especially at concerts and after was cited in robberies, especially of Chinese shops and forex bureaus,” Mr Ssenkumbi, says.

Sobi is accused of masterminding several robberies of forex bureaus in Kampala.
At the end of 2010, Sobi was arrested and charged at Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court with theft, he was remanded for a day before being granted bail.

Less than a month later, Sobi was again arrested and new charges preferred against him. The State argued that Sobi should not be granted bail because the last time he was released on bail he allegedly committed a crime.

However, the presiding magistrate granted Sobi bail again.
Mr Ssenkumbi says less than three months later he was arrested again.
“We took him to court and hoped that the magistrate would understand our predicament. He was remanded for a day and appeared the next for bail hearing,” Mr Ssenkumbi says.

When the then Kampala Metropolitan Police commander, Mr Grace Turyagumanawe, heard that the ‘notorious thug’ was about to be released again, he reportedly prepared an ‘operation re-arrest Sobi’.
Police sealed off the area surrounding the court. The order was to have him immediately re-arrested on new pending charges. Sobi was released on bail at about 3pm.

“When Sobi realised that he was going to be re-arrested, he kept within the court premises only for police to be informed that he had once again been remanded an hour after he was released on bail,” Mr Ssenkumbi says.
He was released the next day without knowledge of police.

“It was baffling; it was like the magistrates were on his side. It had never happened before and up to date we cannot understand what transpired behind the court walls,” Mr Ssenkumbi says.

In 2013, the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, went on record blaming the Judiciary for increased crime. He said the justice system in Uganda is promoting injustice with a number of criminals getting released by the courts.

“Criminal justice is based on the principle that you would rather let nine criminals go free than inconvenience one innocent person. The criminals have money and get very good lawyers. At the end of the day, a judge has to only have a simple doubt to release the suspect,” Gen Kayihura said.

Forex bureau robberies
Sobi was the hand in many of the robberies of city forex bureaus. The robbery of Llyod Forex Bureau was one of the most brazen and dramatic robberies in the history of Kampala to date. Traders and boda boda cyclists on Luwum Street still talk about the ‘Sobi robbery’ at Llyod Forex Bureau.

A seven-man armed gang, allegedly led by Sobi, stormed the forex bureau and robbed large amounts of money. However, police arrived before they had fled the crime scene.

Jim Kato, a boda boda cyclist who witnessed the robbery, says the thugs ran into the streets and deliberately dispersed an unspecified amount of money on the road and pavements before getting into a car and fleeing. People scampered to collect the money and unwittingly blocked the road, foiling police pursuit of the thugs.

“All the passersby and boda boda cyclists got on the road to pick the falling notes and it was only after they had taken off that we realised that in picking the money we had blocked the police from pursuing them,” Mr Kato says.

On April 23, 2012, Sobi, a body builder, allegedly led a gang that raided Spot Cash Forex Bureau in Arua Park in Kampala and robbed about Shs120 million. The thugs shot and killed 27-year-old Agnes Bireru during the robbery.

The last robbery he is accused of committing before his arrested in 2012 and remand was carried out in a forex bureau at Majestic Plaza. The thugs reportedly stole Shs90 million.

Basing on information from the police crime intelligence department, officers at the Kampala Central Police Station launched an operation on William Street near Katumwa Sport Centre to arrest Sobi after he had reportedly gone into hiding.

A police team headed by the then officer in-charge of the Central Police Station sighted Sobi standing near DFCU Bank and arrested him.
The police officers searched the surrounding areas for his alleged gang members. One suspect, Ivan Mugerwa, was arrested on top of a building with a gun.

Then Kampala Central Police Station Commander, Mr James Ruhweza, said Sobi had on several occasions evaded arrested because he had a sophisticated network of informants who would tip him off whenever police approached his hideout.

Mr Ruhweza said the suspects might have been targeting a customer in DFCU Bank on William Street at the time of their arrest.
At the time of arrest, Mr Senkumbi says Sobi had 10 fresh charges against him, including murder and robbery, among others.

While some of the cases are at the stage of trial and the murder file is yet to be committed to the High Court, Ms Jane Kajuga, the Directorate of Public Prosecution spokesperson says: “We are waiting for the case to be committed to the High Court so trial can start. We are ready.”

Criminal groups in Kampala

According to the police, some of the criminal groups operating in Kampala include:

Bukolwa Crew: This gang operates in Kisenyi, Kinyoro and specialise in stealing car parts. They use children as young as six whom they groom for their operations.

Naguru arrow boys: They are mainly young men from Naguru who terrorise Nakawa Division. They mainly target pedestrians who use the railway line near Spear Motors. They also conduct their illegal operations as far as Kitintale and Luzira. They use machetes and other objects to subdue their victims.

Bijambiya: This gang operates in Nakulabye with their main base in Kiyaaye. Their operations also extend to areas around Wandegeya and Namungoona. Their weaponry includes iron bars, knives and house breaking implements.

Sobbi: They operate around Nateete and Lugogo. This gang is mainly composed of muscular youth. During their operations, they move in a “V” formation to ensure when you escape from one you cannot go past the next.

Kifeesi: These ones operate in Kinyoro-Katwe, with their main base at Musoke zone. They use children aged between 13 and 18 years. They mainly grab women’s handbags and necklaces. They have also registered murder cases.

Bad Life: These ones operate around Wandegeya, Mulago and Makerere. Their main base is Katanga slum.

Cheap stores: This gang is comprised of women and mainly target traders in Kikuubo and Owino. They also operate along Kampala streets, taxi and bus parks. They call themselves Cheap Stores because they operate around stores in Kikuubo. They coordinate with muscular men who come to their rescue if caught.

B-13: They mainly operate in Lusaze and the surrounding areas of Bulange and Lungujja. They break into houses and rob.

Bipanda Crew: These operate around Clock Tower, areas near the railway station, Kibuye, Queen’s Way and Ndeeba. They target pedestrians and revellers in small drinking joints and eateries.

Lukanga: It is comprised mainly of former boxers. They operate around Zzana, Namasuba, Kajjansi, Najjanankumbi, Seguku and Kitende where they waylay people and rob them. They spend their time during day weightlifting in makeshift gyms.

Baboon: Their main base is at Kasubi and they work closely with Bijambiya to terrorise residents of Nakulabye.

Kasolo Boys: These ones oprerate around Bwaise, Kawempe and on the Northern Bypass. They are murderers and rapists. They break into houses by smashing down doors using huge stones.

Others: Others groups terrorising Kampala, according to the police, include ‘ECOMOG’ and ‘NATO’.

Robbery reduces - police report

According to the 2013 police crime report, 3,620 robbery cases (both aggravated and simple) were investigated, compared to 4,194 cases in 2012, giving a 15.8 per cent decrease.

Cases of simple robbery (where lethal weapons were not used) were 2,585 compared to 3,126 in 2012, giving a 20.9 per cent decrease, while cases of aggravated robbery (where lethal weapons were used e.g. firearms, knives and machetes etc) were 1,035 compared to 1,053 cases in 2012, hence a 1.7 per cent decrease.

Of the total cases of aggravated robbery, 47 cases were of motor vehicles, 242 were of motor cycles and 207 were robbery of cash.
In 2013, a total of 3,846 cases of burglaries were investigated as compared to 3,867 cases in 2012, hence a decrease by 0.5 per cent.
A total of 1,684 cases of house break-ins were investigated as compared to 1,820 cases in 2012 hence decrease of 8 per cent.

A total of 623 cases of thefts of motor vehicles were reported in 2013 compared to 659 cases in 2012, giving a 6 per cent decrease. Out of the reported, 98 cases were of motor vehicles stolen across the borders.