Detectives drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have recovered an AK47 rifle that was stolen from a police officer in Uganda by an unknown gang.
DCI on Wednesday, January 31, revealed that the rifle was recovered by officers from Kasagam police station who were on patrol duties in Nyalenda, Kisumu.
Further, the directorate detailed that while the rifle had been recovered, the suspects who were in possession of the weapon fled the scene and were still on the loose.
The five suspects were in a Toyota Axio when they were intercepted by officers. DCI indicated that they left the vehicle and fled the scene.
“Ballistic examiners are analysing an AK47 rifle that was recovered by police in Kisumu days after a Ugandan police officer based at Central Police Station, Tororo was violently robbed by a gang.
“The rifle serial number UG POL 861314 09446 was recovered by Kasagam police officers who were on patrol duties at Nyalenda ward, after they intercepted a suspicious Toyota Axio reg.no. KDL 301P whose 5 occupants immediately flang the doors open and scampered for safety, abandoning the vehicle,” the statement read in part.
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DCI on Working with Police in Uganda
At the same time, the statement noted that the officers proceeded to search the vehicle and recovered four mobile phones and a homemade gun.
DCI officers in collaboration with their Ugandan counterparts impounded the vehicle as the search for the five suspects continue.
“So far, the District Police Commander in Tororo Mr Adam Kimuli has confirmed the violent robbery involving his officer, further noting that some accomplices had already been arrested in Uganda and charged before the Tororo District Court.
“Meanwhile, painstaking forensic analyses are being explored with the aim of obtaining crucial leads to the run-away suspects, and the vehicle detained for further processing,” added the statement.
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Crackdown on Stolen Vehicles
In a separate incident, DCI recovered more stolen vehicles following an ongoing nationwide crackdown on vehicle theft syndicates.
In a statement on Saturday, January 27, DCI revealed that it recovered stolen vehicles in Nakuru County following a lead from suspects who were arrested on January 26, 2024.
“DCI sleuths deployed to bring to their knees all syndicates implicated in the vice proceeded to Nakuru county in a bid to effect more accomplices and recover stolen motor vehicles,” read part of the statement.