Police Recover Firearm Possibly Linked to Armed Robbery Gang

Police have retrieved an old, corroded firearm believed to have been used by a group of armed criminals who had been harassing locals and stealing property in the Kiira region. Alongside the weapon, police also recovered fifteen live bullets, which have now been documented by the forensic team. The firearm was found on Sunday in a garden located in Busowoko village, Butagaya Sub-county, within Jinja District.

Monica Namugaya, who owns the garden, recounted that she came across a sack while performing her usual farming activities. She said her children often dig up cassava, place it in sacks, and temporarily leave them in the field as they go to gather firewood. Driven by curiosity, she decided to open the sack and discovered a rusted metallic item, which turned out to be a gun.

Namugaya immediately called out to neighbors, who recognized the object as resembling a firearm. The local veterans’ coordinator, Shaban Mazereba, urged everyone to stay clear of the area and quickly contacted the police. Upon their arrival, officers confirmed to the residents that the item was indeed a gun. Personnel from the Counter-Terrorism Police and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) then secured the location, checked for any potential explosives, and eventually collected the weapon.

James Mubi, the Kiira Regional Police Spokesperson, stated that the gun is believed to have been discarded by a gang involved in a series of armed robberies. Mubi added that under the leadership of Regional Police Commander Charles Nsaba, law enforcement had previously conducted operations against suspected robbery gangs and recovered multiple items, although the firearm had remained unaccounted for until now.

He referred to the find as a significant step forward in the investigation, stating that charges will soon be preferred against suspects previously arrested in connection with the robberies.

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