A routine stop-and-search operation conducted by the Kampala Metropolitan Police in one of the city’s rough neighborhoods has uncovered an underworld gang composed of former street children. The patrol officers, on June 7, stumbled upon a Toyota Wish minivan parked on Namasole Road in Makindye and discovered a hidden stash of house-breaking equipment inside.
The five occupants of the vehicle, all in their twenties, failed to provide a satisfactory explanation to the officers regarding their movement and the purpose of the burglary tools found. A thorough search revealed masks and other items commonly used in burglaries. Consequently, the individuals were arrested, and subsequent investigations revealed their involvement in a series of recent violent robberies in the capital city.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, the gang has been linked to at least 20 robberies across various locations in Kampala. As a result, charges of aggravated robbery, burglary, and attempted murder have been filed against the entire group.
Remarkably, five of the suspects were formerly street children who turned to a life of crime as they grew older. The gang’s criminal activities have spanned across the breadth of the city, extending from Kitintale in Nakawa Division to Wakaliga in Rubaga Division, as well as densely populated suburbs such as Kajjansi, Ndejje, and Bulenga in Wakiso District.
During the arrest, the suspects provided conflicting statements regarding their intentions and destinations. However, further interrogation exposed their plan to carry out a burglary in Bunga, Makindye Division on that particular day. The suspects also incriminated each other, providing additional details about their criminal activities.
Among the apprehended individuals are Jamil Ssendawula, 32, from Kibutika Ndejje Parish; Ronald Mbazira, 24, from Ngobe Zone in Bunamwaya; Nicholas Ssebandeke, 29; David Mugula, 27, from Kapeeke Zone in Rubaga; and Fahad Akandwanaho, 18, from Bulemba Village, Kazo Sub-county in Kazo District.
Two days after the initial arrests, Ibrah Nkalubo, 30, the suspected gang leader, was also taken into custody. Police detectives seized the opportunity to gather more information about the gang’s activities by exploiting the differences among the suspects.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the gang had previously stolen a gun from a private security guard at an apartment complex in Kyanja, Kawempe Division, on May 22. The incident, captured on a CCTV camera, directly connected the suspects to the crime. Additionally, the gang was involved in a series of robberies, including one in Lufuka Zone, Ndejje Parish, where electronic appliances and 10 million Ugandan Shillings were stolen.
Further incidents involved the robbery of a South Sudanese national in Kanyanya Zone, the theft of money and mobile phones from a Chinese national near Nyanama in Kawempe Division, and attempted robberies in Bweya, Kajjansi Town Council. The gang’s luck began to wane during the Bweya robbery when they faced resistance from the intended victims, resulting in their retreat and the abandonment of the stolen gun.
Police managed to link the gang to other robberies in Kitintale, Wakaliga, and Bulenga. In Ngobe Central Zone, Mutundwe Parish, Bunamwaya, Ronald Mbazira led investigators to his girlfriend’s home, where stolen items were recovered. His girlfriend, Carol Namubiru, was subsequently arrested to assist with the investigation.
During the ongoing crackdown on violent crime in and around Kampala, several other gangs have been dismantled in Rubaga, Nansana, and Kira Municipality, according to the police.
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