Police have arrested three Uganda People’s Defence Forces-UPDF soldiers over armed robbery. The suspects have been identified as Sgt Moses Kato Kigozi, Pte Umar Bwambale and Pte George Chepkuru.
SP Racheal Kawala the Wamala regional police spokesperson said they are being detained at Kiboga police station. She said the trio is connection with a kidnapping and aggravated robbery that happened at Freedom Pub, Hoima City, and Kiwanguzi Village, Kiboga District.
The victim is Micheal Muwamwa, a 40-year-old businessman and resident of Kikoora LC1, Kikoora Subcounty in the Kakumiro.
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According to preliminary findings, Muwamwa yesterday received a phone call from an unfamiliar person who expressed interest in purchasing maize grains from his store.
“Although the victim initially agreed to meet the caller the following day, the caller insisted on an immediate meeting and pressed the victim into revealing his location,” SP Kawala said.
Police said within minutes, a white Toyota Wish Reg No UBE 649 J arrived at the designated meeting point. The vehicle was carrying five occupants, three of whom were allegedly dressed in army uniform.
“They proceeded to arrest Muwamwa and drove him to an undisclosed location in Kiboga Town, where they detained him overnight. On the morning of today, the victim was robbed of UGX 1,650,000 (One million six hundred fifty thousand shillings) and subsequently released,” SP Kawala said.
Security said he mmediately reported the incident to the police, who registered a case of kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
Police have established that the suspects are soldiers deployed under the UPDF and assigned to the National Forestry Authority(NFA), covering Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Mityana, Kassanda, and parts of Kakumiro districts.
“During the investigation, five SMGs along with 149 rounds of ammunition were recovered. The motor vehicle used in the crime has been impounded to serve as evidence,” police said. By press time police was pursuing the arrest of the remaining two suspects. Security promised to provide further updates.