Residents of Ntaawo village in Mukono Municipality were thrown into shock in the early hours of Monday morning after armed assailants ambushed a police officer, shot him dead, and made off with his gun.
The deceased, ASP Emanuel Bagenda, was the officer in charge of the Ntaawo police station. His colleague, Jackson Kiyinji, survived with serious injuries and was rushed to Nakasero Hospital in critical condition.
Residents living near the scene of the murder said the incident occurred at around 4 a.m.
It is said that the attackers were suspected thieves whom the officers had previously warned about rampant theft happening in the Kiwala area. After the officers confronted them and explained their presence, the thieves allegedly decided to track them down and attack them.
One of the residents, who witnessed the incident but preferred anonymity, said the officers had earlier intercepted the thieves riding on a motorcycle. The thieves pretended to surrender to the police, but later outmanoeuvred them.
It is reported that during the confrontation, the thieves intentionally caused a spark in their motorcycle, creating confusion. Their motorcycle then collided with the officers’ motorcycle, registration number 879GQ, causing the officers to fall. Kiyinji, who was behind with the gun, fell, and the attackers shot him, injuring his arm. They then took his gun and shot him again in the back and the neck.
The resident added that Bagenda, who had been riding the motorcycle, tried to defend himself and attempted to run, but one of the attackers chased and shot him, with one bullet hitting his leg.
“The attackers were wearing black jackets and masks. While running toward the fallen OC (Officer in Charge), they fired about thirty bullets. At first, we thought the shots were coming from afar, only to realize the OC had been shot in the head. The attackers fired about fifty rounds.
When he was shot, he staggered and fell into a trench.
The situation became chaotic, with everyone trying to save themselves. After the attackers fled, we gathered around the wounded Kiyinji, but the OC was nowhere to be seen. We thought he had hidden to protect himself.
Shortly after, General Nalweyiso, who resides nearby, brought a vehicle that rushed Kiyinji to Namirembe Hospital in Mukono. We then began searching for Bagenda. After about two hours, a passerby found his body by the roadside. His face was facing down, he was covered in blood, and he had three bullet wounds to the head. The police later took his body to the mortuary.
The area was heavily guarded by police throughout the night because the incident happened close to General Nalweyiso’s residence and the home of former Mukono North MP Ronald Kibuule,” the resident narrated.
Ssalongo Fredrick Ddamulira, one of the local leaders, said the village has been experiencing similar acts of robbery. Recently, shops were robbed at gunpoint, and a Mobile Money agent was killed while trying to hold onto her money.
Various residents spoke highly of the deceased officer, describing him as a committed and active policeman who always responded quickly whenever there was a problem. He tirelessly fought crime in the area, patrolling every night to track down thieves. Recently, he arrested thieves in a Taxi, which is still parked at Ntaawo police station.
Local leaders also visited the scene. The Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Mukono Municipality, Godfrey Mwogeza, warned people to be more cautious during these dangerous times and to avoid moving late at night.
He promised that security measures in the area would be strengthened to prevent such incidents from happening again.
