Extra-judicial Killings: Kagera police gun down three bandits

Written by MEDDY MULISA in Bukoba 

POLICE in Kagera Region gunned down three suspected bandits, foiling a robbery attempt at a service station in Muleba town on Monday night and recovered an assortment of guns and a hand grenade.

Kagera Regional Police Commander (RPC), Philip Kalangi told reporters that five heavily armed bandits attempted to rob a service station christened Beach, at around 8.30pm on the fateful day.

Police were tipped about the robbery and laid a trap, killing three bandits as they exchanged fire. Two other bandits managed to escape and police are hunting them. RPC Kalangi said that one of the dead bandits was in possession of an identity card bearing the name of Japhet Mwigabo, from Kirundo town in neighbouring Burundi.

He also said police recovered a sub-machine gun (SMG) with serial number 084622-89 loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition, two home made guns (Magobole) and a hand grenade. He said the bodies of the unidentified bandits are preserved at Kaigara health centre in Muleba District.

He called upon the general public to help identify them. Meanwhile, police have recovered five boat engines worth 20m/-, which were stolen from operators in Lake Victoria, last month. Mr Kalangi said three suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.

He named them as Felix Frederick (28) from Rushara Village in Bukoba Rural, Nditi Rugakingira (28) from Muleba District and Phinias Wilson (36) from Rushanga Island in Bukoba District. He said the suspects were believed to be members of a notorious gang which terrorized passengers and boats operating in Lake Victoria and had been on a wanted list for a long time.

On the hand, PETI SIYAME reports from Nkasi that police in Katavi Region seized 21 firearms, including homemade weapons popularly known as 'magobole' and 354 rounds of ammunition last year.

The Katavi Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Dhahiri Kidavashari, told the 'Daily News' over the phone on Monday that during the year under review 14 'magobole' were seized as well as 3 SMGs and in the list were also other firearms including shotguns, G3 and Mark 4.1.

In another development, Police in Katavi Region have arrested a petty businessman, Jacob Yasin (27), a resident of Nsemulwa Street in Mpanda town for allegedly purchasing fish from fishermen at Ugalla River in Mlele District using fake bank notes.

According to Mr Kidavashari, the incident occurred on Sunday when the fishermen discovered the suspect had bought fish from them using fake bank notes purportedly worth 250,000/-. When arrested and searched, the suspect was found in possession of 22 fake 10,000/- bank notes with different serial numbers.

Source: Daily News (16/01/2013): http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/13687-kagera-police-gun-down-three-bandits