Army court charges five over recent mobile money robberies, murders

Five people including three former UPDF officers have been arraigned before the General Court Martial in Makindye and charged with aggravated robberies and murders in regards the recent spate of attacks on mobile money agents.

In the past two months, over 10 mobile money points have been attacked, agents killed and huge sums of money robbed.

On Monday, Edward Mubaale, Issa Ntale, Denis Mwangusho, Bob Anichan, Stanley Mulunda were arraigned before the army court chaired by Lt.Gen.Andrew Gutti and charged with the murder of Harriet Nalwadda, and Maureen Nakabuubi at Kirimanyaga village in Zzana, Makindye Ssabagabo in Wakiso district and robbed an unspecified amount of money robbed.

The group was also charged with the murder of Raphael Walugembe and the robbery of shs610, 000 on May 14 at Nateete Church Zone in Rubaga division.

Prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large carried out several attacks on mobile money points, killed agents and stole huge sums of money using guns.

They all denied the charges.

The state prosecutors led by Lt Col Raphael Mugisha asked the court to adjourn the matter to August 6 because investigations are still ongoing.

They were later remanded to Luzira prison.

Background

Armed men traveling on several motorcycles between May and June attacked several mobile money points in Kampala and Wakiso districts before killing agents and robbing an unspecified amount of money.

According to the UPDF spokesperson, Brig. Richard Karemire, a joint security operation including the Police, Internal Security Organisation and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence led to the arrest of a number of suspects involved in the mobile money attacks and subsequent robberies.

“The severity and frequency of these incidents indicated some unusual level of organized crime. Cash had been the main motive according to available information so far,” Brig. Karemire said in a statement.

He noted that all the suspects arrested had earlier been involved in a number of offences.

“This group has confessed of being responsible for many of the heinous acts that have been witnessed in the recent past. All these have recently been released from prison and are not first-time offenders.”

The army spokesperson said Stanley Mulunda Stanley also known as  Frank Jumba had participated in the robbery of a forex bureau bullion van in 2015 in which he was remanded to Luzira but later released when the case was dismissed.

For Bob Anichan was dismissed from the army with disgrace but had participated in a robbery and murder of a UPDF officer, arraigned before the division court-martial in Bobmbo and sentenced to life imprisonment.

He later appealed against the sentence and reduced to 18 years but served 13 years and was released in November 2018.

He is May this year participated in several murders and robberies of mobile money in several parts of the country.

Private Denis Mangusho is a UPDF deserter who spent three years in Luzira after being arrested in 2016 over bullion van attack in which shs200 million was robbed.

The army spokesperson said the other suspects too had participated in similar crimes and had been jailed on a number of occasions but came out to resume their activities.

"We would like to thank all the security agencies and the general public for the support rendered in this effort towards making our country a peaceful place and also encourage the public to remain calm and vigilant. It is our mandate and we remain totally committed to safeguarding all Ugandans and their property,"Brig. Karemire said.