Police impound taxi used in robberies, call for victims to report

After several complaints on the un checked taxi robberies, the Police seems to have finally started on a crack down on these.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police has Wednesday morning impounded a taxi registration number UAU 122U. This taxi whose operation route was Busega to Namboole using the Northern Bypass became a marked vehicle through several social media messages warning the public about it. And alerting Police to take action.

“After numerous complaints over this vehicle reg number UAU 122U, police have finally arrested the suspects and impounded the vehicle. Police now calls upon all victims to visit CPS Kampala. The victims however should have hitherto opened cases against the same,” a statement from Kampala Metropolitan Police reads in part.

Several Ugandans have been robbed in taxi’s using tricks played by the drivers and the taxi touts, most common of them involving fixing a faulty door.

According to Luke Owoyesigyire Police does not have statistics on the number of goons who have been apprehended and prosecuted over taxi robberies, but admits that such cases were common last year, especially in areas of Ntinda and Luzira in Nakawa Division and Nansana Municipality in Wakiso District.

“These cases can be anywhere because these thugs keep changing operation venues to avoid being noticed by victims. The cases we have handled show thugs rob passengers in taxis during lunch time hours and evening time, especially between 7pm and 9pm,” he says.

A detective at KMP records desk says more than 37 cases of in taxi robberies were recorded in 2017, of which 118 suspects were arrested and prosecuted in courts of law.