Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Dog Kanyanya, the ringleader of a major Kisenyi criminal gang has succumbed to bullet wounds he sustained during police operations.
Police were informed at around 9 am last Friday that pedestrians had been attacked by a gang of more than 12 members all armed with knives and iron bars.
Police from Owino Market which is just opposite Kisenyi Centre arrived at the scene and swung and fired five bullets in the air to scare the gang. However, Kanyanya attempted to stab a policeman and this prompted the nearby colleague to shoot his legs.
Kanyanya’s legs were maimed and it has since emerged that he has succumbed to the bullet wounds. By the time police had responded, Kanyanya’s gang had robbed over 20 people of their belongings such as wallets, money, watches, mobile phones, and other valuables.
Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson confirmed Kanyanya’s demise. “He was shot trying to fight our officers. This incident happened at School View Zone located in Kisenyi II Parish in Kampala Central. The group was armed with knives and iron bars,” ASP Owoyesigyire said.
Joe Mukasa, who has on several occasions been a victim of a gang linked to Kanyanya said the group had no specific time for carrying out criminal activities. “You would pass in Kisenyi corridors thinking it is afternoon and you are safe but you end up falling into criminals. Even in the morning hours, you would be robbed. The problem is that the people in these areas fear the group and they don’t come to save you,” Mukasa said.
Mukasa deals in electronics and he is one of the people who have at least been victimized by criminal gangs several times. City gangs move in a group of about 10 to 20 which is commonly known as Eggaali.
Owoyesigyire said much as Kanyanya is dead, they are searching for his gang members who fled after police shot him in the legs. ”These thugs rob whoever they come across. We are searching for other group members. We believe the operations will reduce. In the last week, there has been a surge of crime incidents,” ASP Owoyesigyire said.
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