In a remarkable turn of events, a stolen vehicle was recovered yesterday and a suspect apprehended by the vigilant officers at Nyehanga Police Station. The incident unfolded on 12th July 2023 at the burial of the late Apollo Nyegamahe Aponye in Kitaburaza Cell, Butare Parish, Muhanga Town Council, Rukiga District.
According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle, a gray Motor Vehicle with registration number UAT 478N, was parked by its driver, Arinaitwe Guard, 49-year-old, from Kigarama Archdeaconary in the Diocese of Kigezi . Unbeknownst to Guard, an audacious thief, later identified as Shamim Bitariho, seized the opportunity and used a master key to start the engine and make off with the vehicle.
The stolen vehicle was initially spotted heading towards Ntungamo Road, passing through Rubaare Town Council. Surveillance cameras captured its trajectory, confirming its movement towards the Mbarara side. After parking it in the Rubaare area, the suspect, accompanied by an unidentified male, was seen driving the stolen vehicle towards Mbarara-Kampala Road around 8:00 PM.
Their escape route was disrupted when they encountered the vigilant officers manning the Nyamukana Police Checkpoint. Despite the suspect’s refusal to stop, the officers were aware of the stolen vehicle and quickly informed their colleagues at Nyehanga Police Station. With efficient coordination, the authorities established a checkpoint and successfully intercepted the vehicle at approximately 8:30 PM.
The suspect, Shamim Bitariho, was immediately apprehended and taken into custody at Nyehanga Police Station. A thorough search of the recovered vehicle, conducted in the presence of Bitariho and Guard, yielded significant findings. The search revealed nine master keys, five sticks of marijuana,Shs 500,000/= , and two trays of eggs.
To ensure proper handling of the case, the suspect was subsequently transferred to Muhanga Police Station, where the offense was committed.
Meanwhile, a team comprising the District Police Commander (DPC), the Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigation Department (OC CID), and a female police officer from Rukiga District was dispatched to collect the suspect and the recovered exhibits.
The vehicle, which belongs to the Diocese of Kigezi, Kikungiri Archdeaconary, was handed back to its rightful owner upon the presentation of relevant documents.
ASP Maate Elly, the spokesperson for the Kigezi region, stated that inquiries into the incident are still ongoing. The diligent efforts of the police officers involved and their swift response in apprehending the suspect and recovering the stolen vehicle have been commended by the community.
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