Three arrested over kidnap, murder of boy in Kamuli

Police in Kamuli District have arrested three key suspects in the kidnap and murder of a seven-year-old boy over a Shs3 million ransom.

The victim, John Isabirye Waiswa, was the son of Mr Robert Muwodi a resident of Bulungu zone, Busimba Ward in Namwendwa Town Council. 

Police said one of the suspects was arrested from a hideout in Bombo after leaving his phone with his girlfriend in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb.

The two other suspects were rescued from a mob in Namwendwa.

Mr Michael Kasadha, the Busoga North police spokesperson, said police acting on tip had been tracking one of the suspects.

He said they arrested one person whose national ID was used to register the line that the suspects used to call the victim’s parents. 

Mr Kasadha added that the media had been a great asset in the crime wave war that left the suspects on tenterhooks and eventually exposed.

“We commend the cooperation and networking with the community and media that has made possible the arrest of these suspects though we also still call for restraint against mob justice,” Mr Kasadha said.

A source familiar with the investigations said one of the accused told them that their intention to kidnap the boy was to raise capital to start a studio in Kampala.

According to the source, the suspect had also stolen a motorcycle to escape to Kampala. 

“This suspect is lucky because we rushed to rescue him from the mob when he had stolen a motorcycle. We did not know he was part of the kidnap murder racket,” the source said.