Four officers stationed at Kabalagala police station were apprehended for their alleged involvement in robbing $30,000 (approximately Shs 114 million) from Kenyan businessman Muhammad Olad Abdirahman. The arrested officers, identified as Phiona Among, Isaac Angula, Shafik Baluku, and Bernard Galenda, are now facing charges related to the incident.
The situation unfolded when Muhammad and two others sought assistance from the manager of Royal View Hotel Buziga to find the best exchange rate for their $30,000 in cash. According to Police spokesperson Fred Enanga, the hotel manager tipped off one officer, who then informed the other three. The officers, in collaboration with an individual named Okello posing as a foreign exchange broker, orchestrated the arrest of the victims.
The officers reportedly took the victims to Kabalagala barracks road and later to another hotel garden, where they allegedly robbed them of the money before releasing them. Following the victims’ recounting of the incident, a case was filed at the criminal investigations directorate (CID), leading to the arrest of the four officers.
Searches conducted at the officers’ homes resulted in the recovery of some dollars and other exhibits. Enanga stated that the officers would face the police disciplinary court, where dismissal from the force is anticipated. Subsequently, they will be charged with aggravated robbery in the courts of law. The hunt is ongoing for the hotel manager and the individual identified as Okelo.
The incident adds to the reported cases of aggravated robbery, as highlighted in the annual crime report of 2022. The report indicated a total of 443 cases of cash-related aggravated robbery reported to the police in 2022, reflecting a 1.6% increase compared to the 436 cases reported in 2021.
