Overview:
Speaking to journalists at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said that preliminary investigations show many of the arrested suspects have prior criminal records.
The Uganda Police Force (UPF) has revealed that repeat offenders dominate the list of suspects arrested in the ongoing nationwide security crackdowns.
According to records compiled by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) over the past week, 1,185 suspected criminals were arrested across the country. The majority were apprehended within the Kampala Metropolitan Area, where cases of house break-ins and street robberies have risen following the conclusion of the recent election cycle.
Speaking to journalists at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said that preliminary investigations show many of the arrested suspects have prior criminal records.
He noted that at least 256 of the suspects who have since been convicted in court were found to have previous criminal histories. Another 232 suspects remain under investigation, with their biometric data and records currently being cross-checked.
“We’re using scientific forensic methods and CCTV footage to screen these suspects. When we collect and analyse fingerprint samples, most of them are found to have previously engaged in crime, and the police already have their records,” Kituuma said.
Police further revealed that the arrest last week of two suspects accused of stealing number plates and car side mirrors led to the discovery that they had allegedly been involved in several robberies around the Lugogo traffic lights in the past. Other repeat offenders cited include Titus Mugambe, a boda boda rider in Bunamwaya, and Joseph Ssenyonga from Kigaga Zone, who were arrested at Shell Kabuusu in possession of machetes.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police records, 334 suspects were arrested in areas including Kamwokya and Kira; 317 were apprehended in Kampala Metropolitan North, covering Bulenga, Nansana and Kawempe; while 308 were arrested in Kampala Metropolitan South, including Katwe, Makindye, Entebbe and Kajjansi, among others.
Although the crackdown has been ongoing for the past month, criminal incidents persist. A recent case captured on CCTV cameras at Gwanda Shopping Mall in downtown Kampala’s Kisenyi area showed machete-wielding assailants riding motorcycles attacking and injuring a man before robbing him of his belongings.
Irrespective of the incidents reported, Kituuma said the police remain steadfast in ensuring they stay on top of the situation by acting on credible evidence. He noted that it is undeniable that progress has been made, adding that some of the arrests have involved individuals responsible for serious aggravated robberies and that there are visible signs of relief within the affected communities.
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