The Greater Masaka Sub-Region Joint Security Committee is actively pursuing the extradition of the suspected leader of a notorious criminal gang from Tanzania. The suspect only identified as Katongole, is believed to be at the helm of the gang that has been targeting businesspersons within Kyotera and Rakai districts.
A regional security committee, which convened at the Uganda-Tanzania border in Mutukula town council, is actively seeking cooperation from their Tanzanian counterparts to arrest and extradite Katongole. In recent times, several establishments, including wholesale shops, banks, and mobile money agent outlets in Kyotera and Kalisiizo town councils, have fallen victim to masked gunmen.
The gunmen strike particularly during the late evening hours, violently robbing owners of their assets. One of the most recent incidents occurred last month, when John Ddamulira, a prominent figure in Kalisiizo town council, was ambushed by armed robbers. The gunmen shot Ddamulira and made off with Shillings 93 million, which he had withdrawn from the bank.
Another incident took place just a week prior, where a local banking agent in Kalisiizo Park yard was also robbed Shillings 200 million. According to security sources, there are credible intelligence reports implicating Katongole as the mastermind of the criminal cartel responsible for targeting prominent businesspersons. A reliable source, who was present at the security meeting but opted to remain anonymous, revealed that intelligence officers have been diligently pursuing leads to apprehend the gunmen.
However, their efforts have been hampered by the gang’s ability to evade capture by crossing the border through porous exit routes. “The local communities in Kyotera and Rakai know the ring leader as Katongole who also runs some businesses across that border. In Tanzania, he uses pseudo names and he pretends to be a well-behaved resident, yet he is a bad person in Uganda,” the source noted.
This publication has learned that the regional security committee has resolved to engage in diplomatic discussions with Tanzanian authorities to facilitate the arrest of gang members. Twaha Kasirye, the spokesperson for the Greater Masaka Regional Police, confirmed that their crime intelligence teams have been meticulously analyzing the series of robberies and have garnered significant leads from victims and witnesses alike.
He explained that a collaborative effort involving joint security teams, including Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) officers has employed scientific methods, including collecting evidence such as fingerprints and footprints from crime scenes.