Nampiima was the Traffic Police spokesperson until last month when she was transferred to the public relations head office at Naguru police headquarters.
The suspects who include David Mugula, Jamil Ssendawula, Ronald Mbazira, Ibra Nkalubo, and Fahad Akandwanaho have said that they broke into Nampiima’s house thinking that she had valuable household items and money. To their surprise, they said, they were shocked to find only Shs 200,000 in her house.
Nampiima’s house in Asimbwa zone, Kabowa parish, Rubaga Division was raided by thugs on May 13, after killing a private security guard; Matia Kintu Ssalongo. Kintu was hacked to death as he attempted to confront the thugs who were armed with machetes and an AK-47 rifle.
The attackers who also beat up children, vanished with mobile phones, a flat television screen and the Shs 200,000 cash. But, in their confession, the thugs said that Nampiima was the most broke of all the people they attacked during their raids.
The suspects led by Nkalubo allegedly said they never initially wanted to kill Kintu but he was determined to spoil their mission. Nkalubo was arrested days after his apprehended accomplices named him as their ringleader. He has allegedly explained that they have killed three people in their operations including Kintu and two others in Wakiso district.
The suspects have said they are divided into nine groups and each with a different role. A group that steals mobile phones does not participate in motorcycle or car robbery. They also explained that they have a car to carry items looted in the night and sometimes even deploy their own German Shepherd dogs to homes where they expect tough security. In cases of stealing vehicles, they move with alternative numberplates to replace the original ones.
“Our dogs are too lethal and can tear any ordinary dog or people who intend to disrupt our mission. We also use guns in our mission. We have a car on which we load our looted items but we don’t know where they are taken. We are in most cases paid Shs 100,000 [each] for a night mission,” police source quotes Mbazira and Nkalubo.
Nampiima said on the day they raided her home, she first heard her guard groaning in pain.
“They cut the security guard and dumped him at the door. I heard him groaning and when I called him, he did not respond. I was forced to open the house to check on his condition. I didn’t know that the thugs had attacked him and waiting for me to open the house,” Nampiima said.
The police flying squad arrested the suspects after intercepting a vehicle loaded with breaking implements and machetes in Makindye Division. Police later interrogated the suspects who gave uncoordinated accounts about their operations.
The group was reportedly planning to attack a home in Bunga, Makindye Division but an intelligence tipoff aided police to intercept them before reaching the scene. Police have now resolved first to collect all the possible evidence before the group is charged in courts of law.
Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson earlier explained that some of the suspects particularly; Patrick Bewote and Aaron Kayemba have a pending murder case committed in 2022.
However, police are yet to get information from the suspects about the people who deploy them and collect stolen items using a vehicle. Also, the two guns the thugs have been using haven’t yet been recovered. Owoyesigyire said information shows all the items looted by the gang ends up at Cooper Complex but they are still identifying the specific collaborators.
Some of the areas the group have attacked include Kosovo, Kabowa, Nansana, Namungoona, Ndejje, Makindye, Kireka, and Kyanja. Old Kampala, Lugala, Ndejje, and Kosovo police stations have a list of other suspects they are searching for.
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