Four rogue Ugandan officers have been dismissed from the force for allegedly robbing a Kenyan businessman of Sh4.89 million ($30,000) in Kampala.
In a statement from Uganda’s police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said the four, identified as Phiona Among, Isaac Angula, Shafik Baluku, and Bernard Galenda, are in custody and will be charged with aggravated robbery in the courts of law.
Enanga said the incident took place last week in one of the gardens behind Kabalagala police station.
He said that it all started on January 17, when the victim, Muhammad Olad Abdulrahman, a 37-year-old Kenyan businessman from Kisenyi, and two others sought assistance from the manager of Royal View Hotel Buziga to find the best exchange rate for their $30,000 cash.
“The hotel manager tipped off a police officer who alerted three others. They reached the hotel and in conspiracy with another person identified as Okello, who pretended to be a foreign exchange broker, arranged for the arrest of the victims,” Enanga said.
The officers then reportedly bundled the victims into a motor vehicle, drove them to Kabalagala barracks road, and eventually to another hotel garden where they allegedly robbed them of the money before releasing them.
After recounting their ordeal, the victims filed a case at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), leading to the arrest of the four officers.
Searches at the officers’ homes resulted in the recovery of some dollars and other exhibits.
Enanga stated that the four officers would be brought before the police disciplinary court, where they are expected to be dismissed from the force.
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.
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.
