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Police rescue suspected serial rapist
What you need to know:
- Uwimana, according to Mr Kayima, was taken to Mulago Hospital in critical condition.
- Meanwhile, police arrested two men suspected to have been vandalizing motor vehicles.
KAMPALA. Police rescued a Rwandan national from a mob after he was allegedly caught attempting to rape a woman.
Habib Uwimana was clobbered by angry residents who accused him of raping 10 women in one month. He cheated death when residents allegedly caught him as he tried to rape a woman at around 5am on Wednesday. He was arrested by police in Kasangati, Wakiso District.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Mr Emilian Kayima said Mr Uwimana waylaid and attempted to rape the woman who was going to Kampala.
“The woman was brave and fought back. As the scuffle was ongoing, her son came and they overpowered the suspect. The residents converged and pelted stones at the suspect. Police arrived in time upon a tipoff and rescued him,” Mr Kayima said.
Mr Kayima quoted the residents as saying Mr Uwimana had been waylaying women and raping them and sometimes would break into homes of old women and raping them, especially those sleeping alone in houses. He said the residents launched a hunt for him but he disappeared.
“The residents took no chance when they got him. By the time police arrived at the scene, Uwimana was oozing blood and he could have been killed had we delayed a little longer,” Mr Kayima said.
Uwimana, according to Mr Kayima, was taken to Mulago Hospital in critical condition. Police were preparing rape charges against him.
Meanwhile, police arrested two men suspected to have been vandalizing motor vehicles. Mr Moses Ssendawula 28, and Mr Ibrahim Muwonge 17, both residents of Makindye Division were arrested after a two-week hunt.
Police said the suspects would pluck off registration number plates of cars and call the owners that they had picked them on road. Mr Kayima said the suspects would ask the owner to pay between Shs100,000 and Shs250,000 to regain the plates.
“These thugs were very organized. They could study their target person and get his or her telephone number. Afterwards, they could call the owner claiming that they picked his number plate. They would direct the victim where to pick the number plate upon sending money on their phones,” Mr Kayima said.
The arrest of Ssendawula and Muwonge brings the number of motor vehicle suspected vandals to 10 since January. Police said most of the suspects have been operating in Kisenyi, Nabweru, Maganjo and Nansana suburbs.
