Police have arrested three suspects linked to a brazen midday robbery that was widely circulated on social media.
The incident, which occurred on Friday morning around 8:45 am near Gwanda Shopping Mall in Kisenyi, showed a group of assailants armed with machetes (pangas) intercepting a man carrying a bag, assaulting him and making off with an unspecified amount of money.
The footage was captured on CCTV and quickly spread across messaging platforms, drawing condemnation from residents and commuters alike for the boldness of the attack in a typically busy area of the city centre.
In a statement on Sunday, Police spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke confirmed the arrest of the suspects and the seizure of three motorcycles believed to have been used in the crime.
“We responded and apprehended three suspects as well as impounding three motorcycles believed to have been used in the offence,” Rusoke said, adding that two additional suspects have been identified and a manhunt is ongoing.
Kampala has in recent years experienced a mix of high‑profile thefts, mugging and gang‑related attacks, particularly in crowded transport hubs and commercial zones.
Police have acknowledged an uptick in robberies and violent snatching cases, attributing some of the rise to the release of bail‑granted offenders and challenges in policing densely populated urban areas.
Security agencies have responded with crackdowns across crime “black spots”, arresting scores of suspects in operations targeting gangs, habitual offenders and drug‑linked criminal activity.
In recent days, coordinated efforts led to hundreds of arrests across the Kampala Metropolitan Area and neighbouring districts as authorities attempt to disrupt organised networks responsible for robberies and other serious offences.
