By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
In a movie like illustration, the Uganda police has given a detailed account of how Police Officers planned and executed a robbery of Shs2.2bn from the home of Hajji Mafabi Sulaiman Lumolo and his wife Hon. Amb. Nekesa Barbara Oundo.
According to the Police Publicist, SCP Fred Enanga, the robbery that took place on the 5th December, 2023 at around 04:47am, at Kyeitabya zone, Bukasa parish, Makindye division Kampala district was planned two weeks prior.
Enanga says, the couple had money kept in dollars and shillings, in their house, which PC Wango Michael, having stayed at the residence as a home guard, for more than one and half years came to know about.
Wango hatched a plan with 2 other police officers, who included; Sgt Idro Dominic, PC Mugoya Sharif, together with Arinda Edgar alias Watson and Niwagaba Rogers.
However, on the 5.12.2023, the mission was executed by PC Wango Michael, PC Mugoya Sharif, Arinda Edgar alias Watson and Palaso who replaced Miiwagaba Rogers.
To help avoid detection, the mastermind PC Wango, disabled the Alarm system, which was controlled and monitored by the guards, at the main gate security sentry room.
He also disconnected the electric wires, mounted on top of the perimeter wall, as well as the security lights around the area, he had earmarked for entry.
Wango further adjusted the CCTV cameras, to avoid capturing footages from the direction his accomplices would use.
At around 10pm, his accomplices, PC Mugoya Sharif together with Arinda Edgar alias Watson and Palaso (who replaced Niwagabaa) gained entry into the compound and laid in wait till 4am.
They inflicted controlled injuries on PC Wango Michael’s head, picked the two rifles in his possession, and thereafter proceeded to the servants quarters, where they forced the 3 maids, to open the main house. After gaining entry, into the main house, the suspects broke the 4 doors inside the house.
They traced and located Hon. Amb. Nekesa, from her hiding place and threatened to harm her, and she led them to the bedroom, where they kept their money. Her husband was not at home.
The suspects accessed the money in Ugandan shillings, and carried their loot in 5 bags, full of cash. They escaped through the small gate with 5 bags of cash, an Iphone, 12 promax, a golden ring, DVR for CCTV system, a Techno spark 9 smart phone, a Huawei 19 mobile phone.
They also disappeared with the two police guns, and 60 rounds of ammunitions, which PC Mugoya Sharif, abandoned in a potato garden, 200metres away from the residence.
They proceeded and hid in a banana plantation, where their rider Kalinda Josh found them. They had in their possession 3 bags, after two other bags were hurriedly dropped, in the banana plantation by Arinda Edgar and Palaso, when they saw a local security guard advancing towards them, with a torch.
PC Mugoya Sharif and Arinda Edgar alias Watson, boarded one motorcycle, to Nsambya barracks with two bags of cash, as Palaso boarded another motorcycle and disappeared from his accomplices with a bag containing an unspecified amount of money.
Amb. Nekesa, reported a robbery of cash Ugx 41 million that was hers but an additional complaint, was made by her husband Hajji Mafabi Sulaiman Lumolo, of Ugx 2.2 bn, that was robbed from his safe. The total amount stolen from the home was Shs2.241.000.000 (Two billion two hundred forty one million).
While at the barracks, PC Mugoya distributed the money in the two bags as follows; Shs220 million was kept for PC Wango Michael (out of which 20m, was reserved to secure his bail) in case he is charged to court. It was handed over to his uncle Basooma Emmanuel who travelled from Budongo village in Namutumba district to Nsambya barracks.
Arinda Edgar Watson was given Shs200m, Josh the boda boda rider received Shs20m, while Sgt Idro Dominic, who did not participate was given Shs8.8m and PC Mugoya Sharif kept for himself Shs230m.
All the 12 suspects appeared before the Chief Magistrates court, Makindye and were remanded until the 25th January 2024, for further mention of the case.
Efforts are now in place to locate a one Palaso and other accomplices, who are still at large, and trace for assets bought with proceeds from the crime.
