Writes Leo Odera Omolo.
MANY victims of taxi robberies yesterday reported to Police stations in the city hoping to recover their stolen valuables.
The government owned NEWVISION made a startling detailed report of the new spate of robberies, allegedly carried out by taxis operators.
Foreigners and locals alike are som,e of the victims of the new waves of robberies which has hit the city like hurricane forcing the police to issue the public with the warning against using fake and unregistered taxi cabs in the City.
Meanwhile, the Police have issued a list of passenger service vehicles, or taxis, wanted in connection with the new wave of crime in which travellers are robbed of property.
The victims flooded Jinja Road Police Station in the morning. Some were referred to Old Kampala Police Station where other suspected robbers were held.
The victims also wanted to establish whether the arrested suspects were the ones who robbed them.
Some identified the suspects and had to be calmed down by the Police. A man in his late 50s who said he lost two Black Berry mobile phones to the taxi robberies. He charged at a suspect after he identified him. The Police had a hard time restraining the man.
“I had never been so embarrassed like when I fell into the hands of these thugs. They stole my property and belittled me,” the man said.
He thanked the Police for arresting the suspects.
“This time round you have done your job,” he told Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba.
By mid-afternoon yesterday, more than 15 victims had registered complaints at Jinja Road Police Station. An equal number reported at Old Kampala Police Station. Among the victims were a UPDF and a Police officer.
The arrest of the suspects started on Wednesday when the Police busted two gangs said to be behind the crime which has been going on for some time, especially in Kampala.
A total of 24 suspects––12 in Nakawa and another 12 in Old Kampala—were apprehended.
Yesterday, 12 of the suspects were paraded at Jinja Road Police Station after rigorous interrogation, particularly on the allegations that the gang had a firearm.
When the two groups were brought together at Jinja Road Police Station, some recognised each other, prompting the officers to conclude that the network was much bigger.
The Old Kampala gang included five women identified as Aisha Namukasa, 26, of Masanafu, Madina Nakintu, 33, a bar woman at Wandegeya, Anna Tumuhirwe of Lugala and Rosette Nakayaga also from Lugala who said she was pregnant and had two children.
The men included Juma Awori of Busega, Dennis Ssebunya of Namungoona, Ali Mumpi of Lubaga, Ronald Tumusiime of Munaku, David Tumusiime of Nabweru and Fred Kayondo of Masanafu.
Also among them were Bernard Kitaka, a chapatti maker of Busega, Steven Ssentamu, a driver from Kalerwe, Umaru Kato and Rajab Luboyera, both from Mpererwe.
Six of the women arrested in Nakawa confessed to being part of the group, but claimed their role was to work as decoy passengers. Most of the women come from Nansana, Namugoona and Nsambya suburbs. They said their work was to lure unsuspecting passengers into boarding the taxis where they would be robbed moments later under various guises. For this, the women were paid sh20,000.
They said they were recruited into the ‘business’ dubbed SMART by two men, Ali Mumpi and Kenny.
“Kenny would call us on phone and issue us with specific instructions of where to meet. The instructions were that we claim to be passengers if caught by the Police,” said 24-year-old Eva Nalubega, a housewife and mother of one. Nalubega lives in Nansana.
Rose Grace Nankya, another suspect aged 26, said she had been in the trade since March, bagging sh20,000 per errand. The woman, a mother of three who is separated with her husband, said she was lured into the vice by Kenny.
Detectives were shocked to discover that that three of the women suspects share a mother but have different fathers. They are Diana Namagembe, 22, Sesanga Lunkuse, 20 and 19-year-old Rashira Nabisubi, a computer student.
On seeing her photo in the newspapers, Nabisubi’s father rushed to the Police station in shock.
He said he had spent sh4.5m opening a clinic for his daughter to manage, but she had turned down the offer.
“Let her learn a lesson from this,” he said.
Nabisubi said it was her third ‘mission’ when she was arrested on Wednesday and had been paid 30,000 for her efforts.
Drama and panic erupted when a suspect, Vincent Matovu, said to be a key member of the gang, collapsed in a fit when he saw his father.
The suspects also include three former students–Dennis Kyambade, Brian Asimwe and Joshua Serunkuma.
Kyambade said he sat A’levels last year and scored 11 points. He said he was also recruited by Kenny.
Asimwe, a resident of Nansana, said he sat A’levels in Kihihi High School in Kanungu district and scored 13 points. Kenny recruited him as well, he said.
Serunkuma said he stopped in Senior 5 at Alliance High School.
Robert Ssimbwa, the driver of the taxi which was used in the robbery in Nakawa on Wednesday, said he had been in the crime for three months.
The Police had to use teargas to flush him out of a tunnel where he had hidden to avoid arrest.
Nabakooba said the Police were hunting for the kingpins behind the crime and was sure they would be grabbed.
“We have clues and it is a matter of time,” she said.
One of the ringleaders, Ali Mumpi, had already been arrested. Kenny is the next, the Police said.
The list of PSV on the Police wanted list include:
UAJ 157 B
UAL 120D
UAM 602 L
UAM 639 H
UAM 640 F
UAT 076 P
UAF 087M
UAJ 301 H
UAK 734 X
UAH 297X
UAJ 145 U
UAG 004Y
Suspects, victims speak out
The New Vision spoke to some suspects and their victims. Below is their testimony.
SUSPECTS
Grace Rose Nakamya, 26: I am a hair dresser based in Nansana East Zone. My husband, Richard Ssebuuma Kyazze, and I have a child. He is a truck driver. I joined the SMART ‘business’ three weeks ago when Kenny recruited me at a bar in Nansana. He promised me sh20,000. My role was to pretend to be a passenger.
Flavia Babirye: I live in Lugala and make chips. I have a one-year-and-six months-old baby. I was lured into the crime by a friend, Aisha Nantongo, who introduced me to Kenny. I get sh20,000 everyday.
Eva Nalubega, 24: I live in Nansana and I am married to Richard Ssekiranda of Nteetwe. I joined the racket a month ago after meeting Kenny at a bar in Nansana.
Steven Ssentamu: I am a driver based in Kalerwe. I hired out my taxi number UAG 004Y on Ggaba route but I did not know that the driver also hired it out to thugs. The car was impounded in a robbery and I was also arrested.
Diana Namagembe, Sarah Lunkuse and Rashira Nabisubi are sisters: We met Kenny at our mother’s workplace in Namungoona. We accepted the job and have been moving in taxis disguised as passengers.
VICTIMS
Christine Wamala: I am an actress with the Ebonies and live in Banda. On Wednesday, I was lured into a taxi at Banda stage at 8:00am, heading to Kampala. I was led to the front seat. After disembarking, I discovered that my sh207,000, phone and a wallet containing my documents had been stolen. Yesterday, I identified Grace Nakamya who was in the taxi.
Florence Natosho: I work with Child Fund and live in Bugoloobi. I lost a wallet, a phone, documents and money
Flavia Nakuya: I am a student of YMCA. I lost a phone between Mukono and Namanve when the driver purported that the door of the taxi was defective. I was dumped at the roadside and the taxi sped off. I reported the case to Kirinnya Police post.
Lt. D. K. Madaba: I boarded a taxi from Kigunga in Mukono but near Namanve the door swung open. As I fidgeted to fix it, the thugs stole my wallet which hadshs 300,000,my UPDF identity card and other documents.
ends