On July 15, 2024, around 2:00 p.m., a robbery took place at Esso Corner on Jinja Road involving a group of unidentified boda-boda riders. The victim, an Indian national traveling on another motorcycle near the Victoria University junction, was surrounded and attacked by the assailants. The robbers took a black bag from the victim, which contained 150,000 shillings, a laptop, and a mobile phone. The robbery was captured by CCTV cameras, and the footage quickly spread on social media.
In response to the incident, law enforcement launched an operation to capture the suspects. On July 16, 2024, around 7:30 p.m., police arrested Mubaraka Sulaiman, who admitted his involvement in the robbery. Sulaiman revealed that Ibra Kisenyi was the ringleader, as seen in the video footage. Kisenyi was identified wearing a white t-shirt and physically confronting the victim. The group also included individuals known by their aliases: Toofa, Ian, and Simple.
Sulaiman also disclosed that the group went on to Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road after the Esso Corner robbery and robbed a mobile money vendor of her bag containing an undisclosed amount of cash. The community intervened, leading to a chase that extended to Kazo Angola. During this pursuit, one of the suspects was involved in an accident and was killed by an angry mob. The deceased’s identity has not been confirmed, as Sulaiman did not recognize him.
It was further revealed that Ibra Kisenyi, Mubaraka Sulaiman, Simple, and Toofa had all been released from prison between March and July 2024. Kisenyi has been linked to various criminal activities, including incidents at Acacia Avenue, City Oil, Bugolobi Junction, Mawanda Road, and the robbery at Esso Corner. Despite several arrests in these cases, Kisenyi remains at large. The groups involved in these crimes use motorcycles and are known to operate in the Kitezi-Sayooni area near the garbage dumping site.
The public is advised to avoid carrying large sums of cash. Fortunately, the victim had only a small amount of money, which helped limit the loss. The police also emphasize the importance of community vigilance and support during violent incidents.
In a separate incident on July 19, 2024, at around 5:00 a.m., Aramanzan Lutalo, 19, was killed in Mafubira, Jinja. Lutalo, along with Tenywa Muzamiru and Stephen Kalulu, was attacked by three men armed with pangas, who arrived on a motorcycle without a number plate. The attackers assaulted the victims, stole their belongings, and fled. Lutalo was taken to St. Nick Clinic in Mpumudde but succumbed to his injuries. Muzamiru suffered severe head injuries and a ruptured left eye, while Kalulu is reported to be stable at Glenz Dignity Hospital.
An eyewitness reported the attack, prompting neighbors to respond and causing the assailants to flee. Police quickly traced two suspects, Wilber Mayanja and Waswa Murshid, who were found with incriminating evidence. This case underscores the need for increased community cooperation to ensure safety.
