Police in Tororo have successfully dismantled a gang of suspected robbers accused of murdering boda boda cyclists and stealing their motorcycles in the greater Tororo region. The suspects, whose identities have not been disclosed due to the ongoing operation, were apprehended during a targeted operation led by Bukedi South regional police commander Julius Caesar Tusingwire.
Tusingwire stated that the detained suspects had been carrying out organized attacks on boda boda riders, resulting in fatalities, with some victims being fatally struck using blunt objects. The operation, conducted with the assistance of sister security agencies, focused on video halls and bars in Malaba town, where a significant number of suspects were apprehended.
The operation follows a spate of murders and robberies targeting boda boda cyclists in the area, prompting public outcry. Tusingwire emphasized that innocent individuals among those arrested would be released after screening.
The modus operandi of the gang involved luring cyclists to secluded areas under the guise of passengers and then attacking them, resulting in fatalities. Police recovered potential evidence, including weapons such as pangas, knives, and spearheads, believed to have been used in the attacks.
Additionally, authorities seized 12 motorcycles with Kenyan number plates, along with intoxicating substances, phones, and tools used to trap cyclists in isolated areas at night. The motorcycles, mostly stolen in Tororo, were found to be used in Malaba after replacing their Ugandan number plates with Kenyan ones, predominantly for nighttime activities.
Police express optimism in apprehending more suspects with the assistance of those currently in custody.
