Suspect in ISO’s custody claims participation in torching St.Bernard Mannya, Masaka hardware robbery

A suspect in the custody of the Internal Security Organisation has claimed to have participated in the torching of St.Bernard Mannya Secondary School in Rakai district last year.

Ten students died instantly and over 30 others sustained injuries after fire gutted the boys’ dormitory at the secondary school in November last year.

According to Derrick Mugwanya, 23, he participated in the torching of the school after being contacted by one of the proprietors of the nearby schools in what seemed like business wrangles.

“In the past, there was a stronger school in the area with a big number of students but after the coming of St.Bernard, almost all students left the other schools,”Mugwanya said referring to a school whose details he didn’t want to divulge.

He said he had been approached by the head of the school in question and promised to give him shs12 million so as to torch the school, adding that he approached two other colleagues for the “mission.”

Asked why it was him chosen to orchestrate the mission, Mugwanya claimed that he was known for being a notorious robber in the area and this could have made it easier for him to be approached.

Mugwanya narrated that together with his group, they had been involved in earlier crimes including robberies at supermarkets and other places in Masaka region.

He said on the fateful day, he was joined by another group of former students at the school who had been expelled from St.Bernard Mannya in executing the mission.

“We moved in a Toyota Mark II vehicle and waited until 11 pm when the students had gone to bed that the old boys of the school helped us access and locked the dormitory with padlocks before pouring petrol and lit fire,” Mugwanya said.

Mugwanya said some of the students arrested and are currently on remand for taking part in the burning of the school were with him on the  fateful day.

Masaka hardware robbery

Mugwanya also said he had earlier been involved in an attack and robbery of over shs400 million from Muto hardware in Masaka.

On June 1, 2018 at Muto Hardware along Buddu street in the heart of Masaka town at around 8pm, unknown assailants stormed the place killing Moses Musinguzi,the security guard and another employee before robbing Shs 435 million.

Early this year, seven  people including Rtd Cpl Paul Kiwanuka,54,Derrick Jumba,40,John Bosco Waliggo,43,Kizza Bukenya Matiya,Stephen Kayemba, Julius Tweheyo,30 and Gerevazio Kankaka 25 were charged with two counts of murder and two for aggravated robbery over in relation to Muto hardware.

Later, the military court sentenced Derrick Jumba and Matia Bukenya Kiiza to 40 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to the charges on their own plea.

However, according to Derrick Mugwanya, he is son to Jumba, one of the suspects who was convicted and sentenced to 40 years imprisonment over the murder and robbery on Muto hardware.

“My entire family is involved in robbery and I was part of the team that robbed Muto hardware but I escaped arrest,”the suspect said.

He added that after the robbery, he escaped to Mutukula from where he was arrested by operatives from the Internal Security Organisation.

“Together with my father, we have been involved in many crimes but I have reformed and I am ready to tell the public the atrocities we have been engaged in.”

ISO Director General, Col.Kaka Bagyenda confirmed the arrest and noted that there are many criminal gangs some of which he said operate in syndicates but noted no stone would be left unturned in uprooting them.