The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Security personnel from the joint intelligence and operations teams believe that assassins who riddled Gen Edward Katumba Wamala’s military vehicle with bullets on Tuesday morning are still hiding within Bukoto and Ntinda areas.
Gen Katumba was attacked along Kisota road by gunmen riding on motorcycles in an incident that claimed the life of his daughter Brenda Nantongo and his driver Haruna Kayondo. The Joint Intelligence Committee – JIC led by Brig Chris Damulira and Joint Operations Committee -JOC headed by AIGP Edward Ochom has since been reviewing footage captured by private and public Closed Circuit Television – CCTV cameras in the neighborhood.
The Joint Intelligence Committee brings together the External Security Organisation-ESO, the Internal Security Organisation-ISO, police and military intelligence personnel while the Joint Operations Committee unites the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces, the Uganda Police, Prisons and Internal Security Organisation-ISO.
Security personnel who spoke to Uganda Radio Network – URN said that seven CCTV footages including three from private homes along Kisota road show how attackers shot at Gen Katumba’s vehicle and how they left the scene. The whole incident lasted 11 minutes as recorded by security cameras.
The CCTV clip released by police on Tuesday afternoon shows the suspected killers joining Kisota-Bukoto road junction at 9 am. They proceeded to Bukoto and branched off at Oryx Energies taking the upward route where the CCTV cameras could no longer see their movements.
URN understands that personnel at CCTV Command Centre at Naguru police headquarters, which also houses the National Security Taskforce were told to retrieve all footage captured in Bukoto and Ntinda areas. Security after reviewing the footage for several hours have concluded that the assailants did not go beyond Bukoto.
“All cameras in Bukoto-Kisaasi, Kira-Ntinda, Ntinda-Kigoowa and Kiwatule and others did not capture these motorcycles going through Bukoto or Ntinda areas. This gives us hope that they are still hiding within Bukoto or they abandoned their motorcycles in Bukoto areas,” a senior security source said.
With the hope that the suspects did not go through Bukoto or Ntinda using their motorcycles, security have reportedly deployed dozens of covert intelligence and operations teams ready to faceoff with the alleged shooters.
URN has seen pictures of two cars that allegedly surveyed the area minutes before the arrival of Gen Katumba’s car. One car was captured four times moving within the Bukoto-Kisaasi and Kisota road axis between 7 am to 9 am.
“We have extracted the images of these cars and motorcycles. We have positioned these pictures in our CCTV system for automated alert in case they are sighted anywhere. We have gathered more than enough information from locals who show these cars seemingly surveying the area,” sources added.
Besides the full-time CCTV monitoring of Bukoto and Ntinda areas, security sources are also planning to cordon off the area and conduct a house to house search in already identified zones. Sources also added that motorcycles bearing features of those recorded by CCTVs have already been picked.
Maj Gen Paul Lokech, who is also the Deputy Inspector General of Police in his statement said Gen Katumba was attacked between 8:47 and 8-58am. He was moving in a Toyota Land Cruiser registration number H4DF2138.
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