How police officers robbed Kenyan national of Shs108m

The police in Kampala Metropolitan Area have arraigned four police officers in their disciplinary court for robbing a Kenyan national of $30,000 (about Shs108m).

The Police Spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, said the incident took place in one of the gardens behind Kabalagala Police Station last week.

Mr Enanga added that this “discreditable conduct of the officers” carries a punishment of dismissal from the force and thereafter they shall have them charged with aggravated robbery.

During a police press briefing in Kampala, Mr Enanga said the incident happened after the officers whom he identified as Detective Constable (DC) Fiona Among, 28; DC Isaac Angula, 27; DC Shafiq Baluku, 26; and DC Benard Galenda, all attached to Kabalagala Police Division, turned against the victim on January 17.

“On January 17, a one Muhammad Olad Abdulrahman, a 37-year-old Kenyan businessman of Kisenyi, went to Royal View Hotel in Buziga for accommodation and while there, he tried to engage the manager of the hotel with another person called Okello to help them get the best exchange rate for the $30,000, which was in their possession,” Mr Enanga revealed.

Police said the victim wanted to exchange the money into Uganda shillings so as to buy a lorry for business purposes.

According to police, the hotel manager together with Okello, tipped DC Among from Kabalagala, who also alerted other colleagues and they went for that mission.

“So, they reached the hotel and in conspiracy with Okello who was pretending to be a foreign exchange broker and the manager of the hotel, they turned against the client and bundled them into a car and drove them into one of the gardens behind Kabalagala Police Station where they robbed all the $30,000 and chased them,” Mr Enanga said.

He added: “However, when this information came to the attention of the police at Kampala Metropolitan, the four officers were arrested, and a quick search was done at their homes, which led to the recovery of some dollars, which were exhibited.”

Police said efforts are now in place to find Okello and the manager to have them arrested as they are on the run because of an act of criminality.