East African Gazette
Kampala
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Senior Manager of Communication and Public Relations, Rogers Mulindwa has clearly stated that no single money from the ruling party was stolen at the home of the Treasurer, Barbara Nekesa, and that there is no investigation ordered against her.
Speaking to East African Gazette on Friday, Mulindwa said the stolen money belonged to the Treasurer and her husband, Haji Sulaiman Mafabi Lumolo, a wealthy city businessman.
“I would like to categorically state that NRM as a party has not lost any money as being wrongly and carelessly reported or talked about by some people. It was the personal money of the Ambassador and her husband,” said Mulindwa.
Adding: “Let me also state it on record that there is no investigation ordered or sanctioned by the party chairman against our Treasurer.”
Armed robbers reportedly broke into the home of the couple in Bukasa, Makindye Division, Kampala on December 5, 2023, with the assistance of a residential guard identified as Wango.
The Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga told journalists this week that the residential guard deactivated the alarm system and the CCTV cameras, which were monitored and controlled at the central security room near the main gate.
Police have since made a dozen arrests including four of its officers in connection with the robbery.
According to those close to Nekesa, it was Shs41.5m that was stolen. She had reportedly withdrawn the money from her account at DFCU Bank, Nakasero branch.
Other quarters believed that the wealthy Lumolo, who owns strings of businesses including car dealerships, had taken money home and had not yet informed the wife. Police said they are investigating the loss of Shs2.2bn.
Mulindwa called for calm as the police and court continue with the investigation on the matter.
“The police and courts of law are doing their work on the matter. Let’s all wait for the outcome,” said Mulindwa.
What so far Police discovered
According to police, on December 5, 2023 a robbery occurred at the residence of Hajji Sulaiman Mafabi Lomolo and his wife Ambassador Barbara Nekesa Oundo at Kyeyitabya Bukasa Parish in Makindye Division, Kampala district. Police findings indicate that the couple had money that belonged to them which a police officer identified as Michael Wango knew about after having stayed at their home for about one and half years as the chief security officer. It is said that this police officer got to know that his principal kept a lot of money both in Ugandan shillings and US Dollar currencies.
So as a result, police officer Wango hatched a plan with other officers including Sgt Sharif Mugoya, Arinda Edgar, Rogers Nuwagaba and Dominic Ingiro. They also had a boda boda rider identified as Josh Kalinda who was on a standby to get away.
“On December 5, 2023 the mission was executed,” Enanga said
To avoid detection, on the fateful day Wango who was the mastermind, disabled the alarm system which was controlled by the guards and disconnected the electric wire mounted on the fence and also adjusted the security lights and CCTV cameras.
On the night of December 4, PC Mugoya Sharif, Arinda Isaac and a one Pallaso who replaced Dominic Ingiro, gained access into the compound and laid in waiting for almost six hours until about 4am when they took action. However, Enanga said that little did they know that they were being captured by the CCTV in the neighbourhood.
Enanga said that the policemen turned thugs first inflicted controlled injuries on the head of Wango who was on guard to show that he was attacked then they picked two rifles which were in his possession. They then forced maids to lead them to the main house and inside the house they broke four doors and located the ambassador who was hiding.
“When they got to her, they forced her to lead them where the money was and they picked five bags of cash, the DVR of the security cameras, iPhone ProMax and disappeared with the two guns which they dumped in a nearby potato garden.” he said
It was established that because these people exited at around 5am, they first hid in a banana plantation from where PC Edgar Arinda and Isaac Mugoya hurriedly jumped on Josh Kalinda’s motorcycle who was waiting with two bags of money while a one Pallaso who was a civilian jumped on another boda boda.
Interestingly, Pallaso took a different direction with three bags of cash while the police officers went back to Nsambya barracks where they shared the loot in the two bags.
However, reports indicate that the suspects have alleged that out of panic from a security guard who flashed a light in the banana plantation where they first hid forced them to drop two bags of cash.
The following morning, the Ambassador Nekesa Oundo reported that she had lost shs41 million while her husband was robbed up to a tune of shs2.2 billion
Sharing the loot
While at Nsambya barracks, it is said that PC Mugoya Sharif distributed the money as follows;
He first invited one Basooma Emmanuel from Namutumba district who is the uncle of Micheal Wango, the mastermind of the robbery and handed him 220 million shillings of which the 20 million was to secure him bail in case he got arrested.
PC Arinda Edgar was given 200 million shillings, PC Isaac Mugoya removed 200 million, Josh Kalinda (boda boda man) got 20 million cash and Sgt Ingiro Dominic was given 8.8 for stepping behind in the deal. But since then, Pallaso, not the artist, has disappeared with an unspecified amount of money.