Police explain shooting of suspected armed robbers in Jinja city

Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kiira region police have explained the events leading to the shooting of two suspected armed robbers in Madhivani cell, Jinja city Southern division on Thursday evening. The deceased are Jeremiah Mivule and Joseph Mutali.

James Mubi, the Kiira region police spokesperson says that the suspects were first sighted at the Mailo-Mbiri roundabout on a motorcycle registration number UFQ 677D, where they snatched a handbag from a lady on Thursday night.

The woman raised alarm, prompting Issa Magoola, a passerby to come to her rescue but the suspects cut him on the head and back. A volunteer motorcyclist rushed Magoola to Jinja central police station prompting patrol officers to mount a search for the suspects.

The suspects are reported to have carried out random robberies targeting unsuspecting victims in the central business district where they rounded up a group of youth returning home after work from Kiira road.

The suspects injured Alex Ariebi on the head and hands using a machete but his other three colleagues fled toward Nalufenya road west and managed to alert police officers who were conducting night patrol in the area.

The suspects are reported to have attempted to flee from the scene of the crime through Lubogo road. However, police officers surrounded them. They resisted arrest prompting the officers to shoot them dead according to Mubi.

Francis Okiror, a survivor says that the suspects primarily targeted Ariebi’s phone before chopping his head. Okiror adds that they were only rescued by police intervention since the suspects were armed with machetes and they were taking advantage of the motorcycle to override them.

Mubi stresses that the group ring leader commonly referred to as the “assassin,” managed to escape and efforts are underway to bring him to the book. Mubi also says that they recovered 10 phones and a machete from the suspects, which have been since exhibited at the Jinja central police station.

Mubi says that the victims are positively responding to treatment and detectives will record their accounts after full recovery.

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