The number of suspects arrested in connection with the robbery of 20 million shillings from a Nigerian national near the American Embassy in Nsambya has risen to six. The latest arrests were made on September 28, 2026, by the Flying Squad. The suspects are Bashir Kawooya, Shamiru Kiwo and Derrick Nuwamanya, alias Akiram or Mavako.
Police said the three were arrested while riding a motorcycle registration number UMA 349NF and have confessed to participating in the June 24 robbery, in which the Nigerian national was assaulted and robbed of 20 million shillings. The latest arrests follow that of Sadic Byanyima, Joseph Waibale and Ivan Kisongode last weekend.
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the investigation was launched after the robbery of the Nigerian national and subsequently led detectives to a wider robbery syndicate.
“The investigations so far show that these suspects were trailing people who had just withdrawn money from banks. Some would ride behind the victims while their accomplices, who are still at large, would snatch their cash bags,” Owoyesigyire said.
Police have linked the group to several other robberies in which people carrying cash were allegedly followed from banks or other locations before being attacked.
One of the cases is an August 17 robbery along Bukoto Heights, registered at Kira Road Police Station, in which a cashier attached to Tirupati was robbed of about 22 million shillings while travelling to a bank. The group is also reortely linked to a January robbery in Mpererwe in which about 10 million shillings was reportedly stolen from a bank client.
Police have recovered five motorcycles believed to have been used in the robberies. They are registration numbers UMA 366LZ, UMA 018MX, UMA 073NP, UMA 018NX and UMA 349NF. The arrests come amid continued police operations against motorcycle gangs accused of targeting people carrying large amounts of cash in Kampala.
Earlier this month, Police arrested four suspects, Yasin Ssemanda alias Zanda, Ramathan Jjingo alias Rama, Cohen Kasumba alias Farouk and Eric Musoke, in connection with another gang accused of using motorcycles and machetes to rob people across the city.
The suspects were linked to the August 11 robbery of 25.8 million shillings from a fuel station manager along the Kasubi-Makerere-Kikoni road. In July, Police arrested eight suspects in Ntinda after receiving intelligence that they were allegedly planning robberies targeting businesspeople carrying large sums of cash, particularly mobile money operators.
Police said such gangs often operate around busy traffic points, including the Nsambya traffic lights near the American Embassy, where congestion slows motorists and provides opportunities for riders to trail and attack people carrying cash-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
