Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Boda Boda riders in Kampala chased and arrested two panga-wielding thugs who had snatched the handbag of a teacher along Nakasero road in the Kampala City Centre.
The victim was identified as 36-year-old Hope Afoyotwoth, a teacher and resident of Kamwokya, in the Kampala central division. She was waylaid while on her way home in the evening this Wednesday.
The victim was reportedly blocked by two men riding on a motorcycle registration number UGA 868Z, armed with a panga. They reportedly robbed her of a handbag containing two mobile phones, Shs 5,000, body spray, and other personal items all valued at sh1.2 million.
She raised an alarm which attracted Boda Boda riders who gave chase to thugs from Nakasero Road, Lumumba Avenue up to City Square where they were overwhelmed and handed over to police.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango commended the Boda Boda riders for their bravery and responsible actions. Unlike in the past when such suspects would be subjected to mob justice they handed over to the police at Central Police Station Kampala.
“They usually misbehave but this time they did well by handing over these suspects to the police. Upon searching them, they were got with sharp panga and all the victim’s properties. They have been charged with aggravated robbery pending court,”Onyango said.
Frank Mawejje, the chairperson of Kawempe Boda-boda Riders has called on Kampala Capital City Authority to quicken the process of gazetting boda-boda stages, as a way of streamlining their industry and curbing criminality.
“With KCCA’s gazetting of stages, we expect a crackdown on impostors masquerading as boda-boda riders,” Mawejje emphasized.”Only certified and trained riders will gain access to allocated stages, thereby curbing the activities of criminals exploiting motorcycles for robbery and other illicit acts. He added”
The apprehension of the two suspects occurs amidst a surge in criminal activity in Kampala, where the city has become a hub for organized crime gangs, with some perpetrators using motorcycles to target unsuspecting victims on public roads.
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