Residents of Kasule Ayanguwa village, Budde sub-county, in Butambala district, are in shock and fear after gunmen shot and killed two of their fellow citizens before raiding Kyabadaza police station where they released all suspects.
The incident that happened yesterday at around 11 pm left Ibra Kalyango and Peter Nsubuga, reduced to corpses by three men who arrived at Kasule Ayanguwa village minutes after suspected cattle thieves had been rescued by police from charged locals.
Lydia Tumushabe, the Katonga regional police spokesperson, said Kyabadaza station received a disturbance call from the area Local Council Three Chairperson that two suspected cattle thieves on two motorcycles were on the verge of being lynched by the community.
The police commander of Kyabadaza dispatched a team to the scene and two suspected cattle thieves were rescued and taken to the Butambala police station for custody. Barely 30 minutes after police had rescued suspected cattle thieves, Tumushabe says a group of three men on a Bodaboda motorcycle, reached the scene at the village and started inquiring about what happened.
“They looked suspicious and the community threatened to arrest them, unaware that they were armed with a gun. The suspects drew out their guns and shot at the residents gathered, killing two instantly. The deceased persons have been identified as, Kalyango Ibra and Nsubuga Peter,” Tumushabe said.
Police said the armed assailants proceeded to Kyabadaza and attacked officers on duty. This prompted a fire exchange between the police and the attackers. At the end of the fire exchange, the two suspected cattle thieves were successfully taken by the attackers but no police officer was injured and no weapon was taken.
“The attackers did not take any guns but part of the offices got burnt. At this stage, the motive of the suspects has not yet been determined. However, our evidence response teams are already processing the crime scene,” Tumushabe said. Police added that operational and intelligence teams have since embarked on a mission to identify the attackers and ensure they are brought to book.
More than 10 police officers, soldiers, and private security guards have been killed by the criminals targeting them for their guns. Out of the fourteen guns that have been taken in attacks or breaking into the armoury, only three have been recovered. However, three of the suspected attackers have been shot dead and one has committed suicide.