The Police Flying Squad Unit in collaboration with the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) have arrested nine suspected armed robbers, from different parts of the country.
Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said on Monday that the nine suspects include a Rwandan national, Sam Nkrunziza and three security guards identified as David Mawanda aka Seka, Gerald Nsubuga and Ronald Pulusiya.
Enanga said a joint security team had been hunting for the group that conducted robberies in the district of Ntungamo, Mbarara and Bwebajja on September 10 and 26 respectively before the group was hunted down.
Police, CMI first arrested six suspects who were found in possession of guns registered in Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo – DRC. These include; Nkrunziza, Rodgers Karenzi, Fred Bahati, Brian Mbogo, Nuwagaba Obadia and August Tumwine.
“We have arrested thugs who have been using guns to rob in Ntungamo. We have been following them up. We have three armed robberies we registered on September 10 and September 26. In a crackdown, we have arrested six and recovered two SMG rifles. One is from DRC and one from here,” said Enanga.
The Rwandan national, according to Enanga, owns a home at Kawempe Division, Kampala but also allegedly has another home in South Africa. Six out of the nine robbers were using three motorcycles for their missions particularly in areas of Ntungamo and Mbarara.
Three others; Mawanda, Nsubuga, and Pulusiya could disguise as security guards at a fuel station in Bwebajja along Entebbe Road in Wakiso District but engage in robberies at night. Security forces suspect the fuel station owners and managers could have hired Nsubuga, Pulusiya and Mawanda not knowing their bad side.
“We have opened cases of armed robbery. We also recovered three motorcycles they have been using for an easy escape after armed robberies. We have masks they have been using to rob. They would cover their faces,” added Enanga.
Nsubuga, Pulusiya and Mawanda are currently detained at Katwe police station, while their counterparts arrested in Ankole region are detained at Mbarara Central Police Station. Enanga said plans were underway to transfer Nsubuga, Pulusiya and Mawanda to Special Investigations Division –SID in Kireka.