UPDF soldier arrested during operation against power infrastructure vandalism

The Police flying squad in Kampala have arrested a UPDF soldier and three other suspects in connection to electricity infrastructure vandalism in Wakiso district.

Lance Corporal  James Baryahebwa attached to to Kakiri First Division in Wakiso was arrested alongside Verensio Arinaitwe, Kamadi Giberya and Joseph Kambira while in possession of electrical materials in Kyengera town council.

According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, Police got information that there were electric wires which were being hidden in one of the buildings in Wakimese zone Kyengera town council, Nsangi Division which prompted a team of Flying Squard unit to the move into the scene.

“On reaching they found motor vehicle registration number UAP 947W Caldina being driven by a person dressed in UPDF uniform. The team arrested the occupants and impounded the motor vehicle,” he said.

Upon interrogation, Onyango revealed that Varensio Arinaitwe confessed that, him and another one called John Atwine vandalise electricity power lines and steal wires which they sell in Kisenyi Kampala.

“The army officer however said that they normally use him as a cover while transporting the materials from the store to the buyers,” the police spokesperson added.

The group further confessed to have vandalised power lines on Tuesday November 29, in Kasangati in a village called Kyijude and these are the wires they had kept in Wakimese, Kyengera.

This operation is part of the ongoing joint operations to crackdown on an organised criminal gang targeting electricity infrastructure in the country.

This week, the joint security agencies also recovered a range of angle bars used in the construction of high voltage electricity transmission towers from Kisenyi scrap and metal dealers which were recently vandalised in Mukono and Kampala city.