Police in the Kiira region have arrested five individuals linked to a string of violent crimes, including their alleged leader, Latif Abudallah Mulondo, also known as “the assassin.”
These arrests are tied to a brazen aggravated robbery involving the interception of a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals and fish maws valued at Shs175 million in October 2023.
Among those arrested are Mulondo’s wife, 21-year-old Rosette Uwimana, 23-year-old Joseph Lubirire, and Lubirire’s girlfriend, 28-year-old Kendy Mpumwire, who had recently returned from Qatar.
Mpumwire is accused of financing the group’s activities, aiding their movement across various locations in Uganda, including Jinja, Kampala, and Mbale. The fourth suspect, Jacob Ogwal, has been identified as the driver of a Toyota Mark X allegedly used in the commission of their crimes.
The suspects were caught at a traffic checkpoint on Tororo Road in Mbale city during a coordinated operation involving the Kiira and Elgon Mbale region police, utilizing security cameras and intelligence networks.
According to Kiira Region police spokesperson James Mubi, they were on their way to Nakaloke in Mbale at the time of their arrest.
The group is believed to be involved in the kidnapping of two Chinese nationals and their driver during the October robbery. Following the heist, they allegedly held the victims in a swamp in Budodo and later transferred the stolen fish maws to another vehicle in Busende, Jinja district, with plans to sell the goods on the black market.
The police noted that these arrests are part of ongoing police operations in Jinja, which have led to the seizure of weapons, marijuana, and other stolen property, ultimately contributing to a safer environment for local residents and businesses.
