By Ronald Nahabwe
Police in Kampala have arrested three suspects in the botched Kyengera robbery, in which cops and other thugs raided a soap factory belonging to businessman Ephraim Ntaganda.
The freshly arrested suspects include Nicholas Muwanguzi, the 5 Star executive soap factory manager, Robinson Namara, and Mubarak Semakula, who were part of the gang that raided the factory last week.
Uganda People Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers on Friday evening shot three police officers dead after the botched robbery.
The incident happened at Nkokonjeru in Kyengera, where officers attached to Kajjansi police station, who were using a police patrol car, raided Excellent Assorted Manufacturers Company, a soap factory belonging to Ntaganda.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said that; “As we conducted our investigations, intelligence reports revealed that Muwanguzi, the factory manager, had knowledge of the robbery. He has been arrested and detained at Kyengera Police station to assist in our investigations.”
He added that “The police have so far recovered a gun with seven rounds of ammunition, a police vehicle abandoned by the suspects, a pair of pliers, and other assorted tools the suspects were to use in the robbery.”
Onyango also said the number of suspects has risen to five although detectives are still hunting for Nelson Chemonges and another yet to be identified person.
Onyango noted that during the raid, the officers offered the soldiers guarding at
the factory soft drinks and food laced with chloroform. But when they refused
to take them, the policemen drew their guns, which prompted the soldiers to
open fire.
Two of the officers died the spot while one who had sustained bullet wounds died
soon after arrival at Mulago National Referral hospital.
But before succumbing to his wounds, Sergeant Driver Okello blamed the robbery on their delayed monthly salaries.
Onyango has however refuted the claims of delayed salary payment, saying that there is no police officer who has not been paid.
