UPDF soldier arrested over Nakaseke businessman’s murder, killer gun recovered
Murdered: John Luwaga. PHOTO/ COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Luwaga’s widow, Ms Margaret Wanyana on Sunday revealed that at around 8:30pm on Sunday, he left home saying he was going to police to check on a friend and Local Council Chairperson who had been detained at Police in Semuto and promised to return home shortly.
New details in the Sunday (July 16) murder of a prominent land dealer in Nakaseke District have linked the unfortunate incident to a suspect and UPDF soldier arrested with the killer gun and vehicle belonging to the deceased.
Sources privy to the ongoing investigation after the arrest of the soldier, recovery of his gun and the stolen car Reg. No.UBL 820S indicate that the cartridges picked at John Luwaga’s murder scene matched with the bullets recovered from the suspect.
“While we are yet to arrest the other suspects still at large, we are at least sure of the killer gun. Possession of the deceased car and having a firearm matching the spent cartridges recovered at the scene of crime is a big breakthrough in the investigation process,” a security source revealed to this reporter on Monday.
The suspected soldier identified as Denis Okello attached to the Peace Operations and Training Centre Singo in Nakaseke District is in detention as security and the investigations teams dig up details relating to the shooting.
Police and the district security teams were by Monday evening still tight-lipped about the investigation process, including the details about the arrested soldier.
Detectives are following different leads, including the possibility that the Luwaga was lured into a trap by the assassins and kidnapped before he was shot.
Luwaga’s widow, Ms Margaret Wanyana on Sunday revealed that at around 8:30pm on Sunday, he left home saying he was going to police to check on a friend and Local Council Chairperson who had been detained at Police in Semuto and promised to return home shortly.
“He (Luwaga) told us not to lock the door since he was coming back to sleep after checking on the LC official who had been detained by the police. When it came to 10pm, I decided to lock the door. He did not return until morning when I got the unfortunate news,” she said on Sunday.
Mr Joseph Ssendagire, one of the relatives and a resident of Semuto Town Council later told this publication that the family had checked with the police at Semuto Central Police and found out that the deceased never stepped foot at the station on Sunday evening as he had told his wife.
“It is surprising that the police had no LC official that had been detained at that time. It is likely that the assailants kidnapped Luwaga between his home and Semuto Police Station before he was killed,” he said.
Nakaseke RDC, Ms Rose Mary Byabasaija on Monday told publication that the security team “was closing in on the suspects after arresting a soldier” in connection with the shooting.
The development comes days after police last week said that weapons belonging to UPDF have been, and are being used to commit crimes around Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono, which has left many people dead in recent weeks.
In one of the more recent armed robberies on June 30, a soldier attached to Kikubamutwe Army Barracks on Kayunga Road in Mukono District, broke into a mobile money outlet and retail shop in Luzira, Nakawa Division of Kampala and robbed Shs72 million.
