Thugs attack Bishop Niringiye again, rob him

Unknown thugs have attacked Bishop Zac Niringiye and stolen his mobile phone. 
The incident occurred on Commercial Road near Rock View Hotel in Ntinda, Nakawa Division in Kampala City at around midday on Monday.

The thugs, who were riding on a motorcycle, hit Bishop Niringiye on the head with a blunt object while he was jogging and robbed him.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesman, Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, said: “The assailants struck him with a blunt object, causing him to lose consciousness and fall to the ground.  His iPhone 13 Pro Max was stolen.”  

This is the second attack on Bishop Niringiye in the same parish.   

The first incident happened on July 28, 2021 at around 6:45pm as he was walking back home in Ntinda, which is considered one of the high-end residential areas in Kampala City. The thugs made off with his phone. Police were unable to arrest the assailants.

In the latest incident, Bishop Niringiye was found by passersby unconscious in the middle of the road and given first aid. After recovering, he went to a nearby hospital where health workers treated the injuries and examined him. Luckily, he didn’t suffer any broken bones so he was discharged. 

Police officers visited him at his home after they were told about the incident by a journalist. 

“He hadn’t reported the case to police in time. It was our officers who approached him at home where his statement was recorded. Efforts to get CCTV footage in the area to help us with the investigations is ongoing,” Mr Owoyesigyire said.

Monitor was unable to get a comment from Bishop Niringiye both on phone and at his residence.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman Patrick Onyango said they have curbed crime, especially violent incidents, after they intensified joint deployments in hotspots and on major roads. 

Recent attacks

Attacks on pedestrians and even passengers on motorcycles believed to be carrying large sums of money are on the rise in Kampala City.

The cases are more pronounced in developed neighbourhoods such as Muyenga, Kololo, Ntinda, Naguru, Luzira and Mbuya. In July 2022, Kamwokya councillor to Kampala Central Division died after he was hit on the head with a blunt object by men riding a motorcycle while he was jogging in Kampala.   

Two weeks ago, a businessman of Asian origin, who was a passenger on a motorcycle, was captured on a CCTV camera being attacked by gangs riding motorcycles on a busy Kampala Road.