In what has been described as a significant breakthrough in the fight against crime, the Kiira Regional police command has arrested three suspects involved in a notorious boda-boda theft racket in the Busoga sub region.
The suspects, now in custody at the CPS Jinja facing charges of theft, aggravated robbery, being in possession of stolen items, forgery and murder have been identified as Fahad Magambo, Ali Ekido and John Ebunyu.
According to detectives, Fahad Magambo 25 is a carpenter and resident of Buwenge Mpya in Kamuli Municipality, Kamuli district, while Ali Ekido 48, is a mechanic and resident of Ojukai village, Atooto sub county in Ngora district in Teso.
The third culprit is John Ebunyu 42, a resident of Omatai village, Okoboi sub county in Kapyelebong district in Karamoja sub region.
According to the police, the trio and others still on the run organized unlawful activities in the wee hours targeting boda-boda cyclists who operate at night in all the districts that make Busoga.
Their prime areas are Jinja, Kamuli, Iganga, Namutumba, Namayingo, Kaliro, Luka, and Mayuge, where the operators are not so vigilant.
The crackdown follows the murder of a boda-boda motorist Charles Taligola and robbery of his motor bike registration number UGD 294M between the night of 7-8 December 2024 at Wakitaka, along the Jinja-Kamuli road Northern division in Jinja City.
Charles Taligola (RIP) was laid to rest at his ancestral home in Kiyunga parish, Kisozi sub county Kamuli.
Kiira Regional police Command led by the RPC SSP Charles Nsaba has instructed Crime Intelligence team led by its Busoga Regional CI Chief D/SP Stephen Sarab not to sleep until culprits behind the heinous crime are brought to account for their acts.
Reports reaching Watchdog Uganda say D/SP Stephen Sarab and his counterparts have already spread their nets and pulled up the antennae tracking down the suspects who will soon be nabbed.
Fahad Magambo has confessed to detectives handling the matter that he had already sold five suspected stolen bikes, including the latest from Charles Taligola to his partner in crimes called Ali Ekido in Ngora.
He also disclosed to the cops that Kamuli-Namwendwa to Kaliro-Gadumire through Pallisa via the newly constructed Saka bridge are the ‘safest’ routes he normally uses to transport the stolen booties.
Like they say ‘like father, like son’, Fahad Magambo says all the tricks and skills of theft were introduced to him by his father Pater Magambo Sekitoleko, a resident of Kamuli.
After paying 3.8 million Ugandan shillings to Fahad Magambo from the latest sale, Ali Ekido, in turn, got 4.5 million Uganda shillings from John Ebunyu of Napak.
Ekido reportedly used forged national ID and logbook in the names of a one Paul Mugombesha.
Besides the murder, robbery, being in possession of a stolen item and theft charges, John Ebunyu also faces another criminal and heavy charge of forgery which means, upon conviction, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
The Kiira Regional Chief detective SSP Monday Johnson Agaba has now designated a special desk at all the three policing divisions to specifically handle expeditiously all cases related to the seemingly very lucrative motorcycle thefts.
SSP Agaba, beaming with hope, says they hav an adequate pool of eagled-eyed detectives who have just graduated from a refresher training course and will prove their worth to handle the matter effectively.
The Kiira Regional Police Publicist SP James Mubi has called for vigilance, especially from the riders, to avoid being caught off guard and observe all the personal security protocols.
“…we have now established that Busoga, Teso and Karamoja sub regions form the biggest substantial market corridor for all stolen motor cycles from the region…”, Mubi said and asked members of the general public with useful information to cooperate.
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