NRA[UAH] 300 held in ‘panda gari’ operation

NRA,

Decentralising Museveni-induced 1979 Kampala operation to 'home counties'? Decentralise Luwero too.....

Ugandans? Believe in better.

Ochieno

=======

---

From: Gook Akanga <grakanga@gmail.com>
To: ugandans-at-heart <Ugandans-at-Heart@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, 4 July 2013, 9:07
Subject: [UAH] 300 held in 'panda gari' operation

300 held in 'panda gari' operation

Share Bookmark Print Rating

Suspected criminals at Mbarara Central Police yesterday. More than 300 people were arrested during a cordon and search operation mounted by the army and police in Mbarara Town. PHOTO BY COLLEB MUGUME. 

By ALFRED TUMUSHABE &RAJAB MUKOMBOZI

Posted  Thursday, July 4   2013 at  01:00

SHARE THIS STORY

0
inShare

Mbarara

At least 300 people have been arrested in cordon-and-search operation mounted by the army and police in Kakoba Division in Mbarara Town in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The operation started at around 3am. They mounted numerous road blocks in the area and on all points leading to and from the division. They also searched targeted homes. The operation was intended to catch wrong elements in the community. The action comes in the wake of a spate of murders in the town.

An employee of World Food Programme at Mbarara office, Andrew Mpubani, was killed at his home in Kisenyi–Kakoba Division at around 2am on Sunday. He was returning from Eagles Production Band show at Agip Motel. Police said the assailants used machetes and knives to kill him.

Rwizi regional police commander Martin Abilu said they are looking for criminals that have made the town insecure. "We have information that many of them are deserters. They left police, army and other security organisations," Mr Abilu said.
He added that the deserters ran away with military equipment which they are using to commit crimes.

Boda boda cyclists and their passengers, among others travelling in the wee hours of the night within the division, were among those arrested. The suspects were asked to identify themselves using residential identity cards, issued by LC I offices which the majority did not have.

Primary and secondary school students were exempted. By 9am, police detaining centres were overflowing with suspects. "I was driving to Kisenyi in Kakoba Division from Katete (Nyamitanga Division) at around 4am to pick a client. As I approached the Bus Park, I found heavy deployment of soldiers," Mr David Karemera, a driver, said.

"They (police) asked me where I was going and I explained. They ordered me to go back. I drove back but used another route through Kizungu. On my way back, my client and I were stopped at a roadblock. They took us to Kizungu Police Post," he added.

Karemera was released at 8am after his clients pleaded for him. "We were so many in the cell. There was no breathing space. Others were kept in the open. Vehicles kept bringing in more people who were arrested while walking or riding motorcycles in the night," he said.

Ms Polly Namaye, the Rwizi police spokesperson, told the Daily Monitor that the security organs were responding to people's outcry over insecurity. "We are carrying out security operations, arresting suspected criminals and searching homes particularly those in black spots where criminals hide and harm residents," Ms Namaye said.

She added that the detainees would be released after LCI leaders have given accountability for them. "You must have a residential card, LC officials must know you, if they don't, then you must account for yourself," the regional police spokesperson said.

Ms Namaye said they would continue searching homes, looking for suspicious people and items like gas cylinders, machetes and knives used to break into houses. She said the force is targeting boda boda cyclists whose motorcycles do not have number plates, vehicles, especially those tinted for guns and other harmful weapons.

Ms Namaye said the assailants of Mpubani had a different motive besides robbing him.
"Although his phone was taken, these people had not come to rob him because he was attacked from his gate. They had a motive to kill him. That is what we suspect," she said.
"Police sympathise with his family. It was unfortunate. We are working around the clock to arrest the killers," she added.

Police and army uniforms, knives and machetes thought to have been used in terrorising residents were recovered, although Mr Abilu said they had not yet ascertained their number because the operation was still ongoing by press time.

The search was also extended to Lubiri and Koranorya towns bordering Second Division headquarters at Makenke. Their screening was going on at various police posts and Mbarara Central Police Station.

--
Gook
"What you are we once were, what we are  now you shall be!"
An inscription on the walls of a roman catacomb