Taxi Gang Arrested for Targeting Women in Kajjansi Town Council Murders

The Crime Intelligence Unit in Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) teamed up with the Flying Squad Unit in KMP South to carry out an intelligence-led operation and arrested four suspects who formed part of a taxi criminal gang that had been targeting women early in the morning or returning late from work.

Disguised as taxi operators, the suspects would lure the female victims to their taxi where they would strangle and suffocate them using polythene bags, said Police Spokesman SCP Fred Enanga.

'They would proceed to rob their bags, smartphones, and other valuables and then dump the bodies of the victims within Kajjansi Town Council. The task team tracked down the first 3 suspects who included Katongole Abbas, Matovu Ronald (both conductors), and Turyashemererwa Herbert," reads Enanga's statement released on May 20.

The fourth and key suspect, Isaac Nuwagaba, 32, and driver of the taxis, was arrested from Rwakimuli cell, Bukinda sub-county in Rukiga district.

Upon arrest, a search was conducted and tangible exhibits recovered included Tecno Spark black phones, one with a line of Jenipher Nassali, who was murdered, a Samsung phone with two sim cards, a red handbag, a yellow jumper, six mobile covers, Shs500,000 in cash among other exhibits.

In addition, two taxis operating along Kampala–Entebbe allegedly used in the commission of the atrocities under registration number UAU 737T and UAV 473Y were impounded and parked at Kajjansi CPS.

The first incident of abduction and murder occurred on March 31 when Judith Awori, a 25-year-old waitress at Royal Ark Restaurant in Lweza Cell, Ndejje in Kajjansi Town Council, was found murdered and her body dumped near St. Luke Church in Lweza.

The victim was strangled to death from an unknown place and dumped.

Again on April 23, another body of an unknown female adult was found in a sack of Kawotto cell in Kajjansi Town Council. It was dumped by a male suspect who was captured on camera fleeing from the scene after setting fire to the body of the dead victim.

On April 29, another report was made at Kajjansi Police Station after Nassali was murdered by unknown persons, and her body was dumped at Bweya cell in Kajjansi town council.

The deceased had signs of strangulation around the neck area and her face was blindfolded in a polythene bag.

On May 9, another body of an unknown female adult victim was found dumped along Jjanja–Lutembe Beach Road at around 9am by an unidentified motor vehicle.

On May 15, a report of the disappearance of Sandra Nangobi was made at Kajjansi Police Division by her mother Sulaina Tendo after the victim left home at Kitende “B” cell in Kajjansi town council at 5am, but did not reach her workplace in Makindye. The victim’s phone was switched off and her whereabouts were unknown.

There is substantial evidence linking the gang’s involvement in the disappearance and death of the victims. The modus operandi in relation to the deaths of the five women is similar, and the motive was robbery. We have obtained DNA samples for comparison, with the samples picked from the bodies of the victims and from the two taxis.