Police are holding two soldiers and an informant for allegedly selling guns to criminals who commit crimes in the city. But in an intriguing twist, one of the suspects has claimed the police only interfered with his trap to net the criminals.
The arrested officers include Capt Trevor Kibuuka, attached to Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and head of Special Investigations Bureau (SIB) based in Mbuya. Kibuuka resides in Katuso village in Buziga, Makindye division, Kampala. Others under detention are Pte Michael Drobia, attached to the 31st Battalion in Bombo, and Moses Kibuuka, an informant with CMI.
They were arrested on Tuesday night at Tex bar in Nsambya by the police’s Compliance unit, which reports directly to inspector general Kale Kayihura.
The police spokesman for Kampala Metropolitan, Emilian Kayima, confirmed the arrest of UPDF officers on Wednesday, but declined to reveal any details due to the sensitivity of the case.
“It is true we have army officers in our custody on allegations of selling guns but we are still investigating; so, I cannot tell you beyond this,” he said.
However, our sources from Compliance unit, said they received information from their informers that some CMI officers were selling guns for Shs2.5million each.
“After receiving that information, we briefed the IGP and he ordered us to go ahead and arrest the officers,” said a source.
The officers then laid their trap to have the officers arrested. “We got their number and we disguised as gun buyers. Indeed, they said they have the guns for sell at Shs 2.5m,” said the source, adding that they agreed to meet at Tex bar.
At the meeting point, the police officers surrounded the cars in which the soldiers arrived, put them at gunpoint and then drove them to CPS. The source added that the suspects were found with two SMGs and one pistol and Shs 2.5m.
CAPT KIBUUKA SPEAKS OUT
Speaking at CPS, Capt Kibuuka said he got information from Kibuuka, the CMI informer, that some people were selling guns and he relayed the information to President Museveni’s brother, Gen Salim Saleh.
According to Capt Kibuuka, Gen Saleh told him to brief his immediate bosses so that they could plan how to arrest the suspects. He claims that he went ahead to brief the deputy head of CMI, Col Monday Rusoke, who gave him authority to arrest the people with guns. Kibuuka added that he told Kibuuka to arrange with them and meet at Tex bar in Nsyambya.
Kibuuka said that as he was waiting for the people to come and arrest them, he saw a team of people in civilian clothes armed with guns surrounding their car and said they were under arrest.
“When these people surrounded us, my escort wanted to shoot them saying they were thugs but I stopped him and I introduced myself as an officer from CMI,” he said.
Kibuuka added that they also said they were police officers from IGP’s office who had instructions to effect the arrest. Meanwhile, our sources have also revealed to us that a team of officers from CMI on Thursday stormed Central police station (CPS) demanding the suspects and their file.
The source said that CMI officers added it is their unit to investigate the matter since the individuals involved are soldiers. Efforts to reach CMI chief Brig Charles Bakahumura and his deputy Col Monday Rusoke were futile as their known phone numbers were not available by press time.
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