How Police Frustrates Car Theft Victims, Individuals Finance Their Investigations

As the country continues to grapple with increasing cases of car thefts, it has been established that investigations by Police into this crime is still minimal and sometimes compromised by unknown individuals.

Many cases of lost vehicles are not well investigated to their logical conclusion and victims are left with no answers from Police and instead completely lose their assets.

In our recent investigation, this website established that most victims give up on their lost vehicles due to the high costs involved in facilitating the search and investigations process, a police service meant to be offered for free to the public.

Recently, chimp corps clandestinely followed up a case of a stolen vehicle to ascertain the public accusations that police asks victims for facilitation in order to speed up recovery of their stolen cars.

However, it was also established that it is not a guarantee that if one pays the money they will automatically recover their lost vehicles.

On 8^th October, a Toyota Wish registration number UBA 982L was reportedly stolen from a parking yard at Kibuye, Makindye division Kampala and a case was registered at Katwe Police Division vide SD Ref : 47/09/10/2019.

Although the reference indicated that the suspect was unknown, the owner of the car led investigators to the parking yard where a one Bob Bamyufu alias Muhamad Mutebi was arrested to help in the investigations.

According to the report, the suspect was the owner of the parking yard and he was reportedly present at the scene when the car was stolen.

While at Police, detectives before recording any statement from the suspect asked the victim to pay some cash for interrogation, which he did.

After the interrogation, officers then asked for more money for a camera review process to trace how the car could have moved from the parking yard and also to facilitate flying squad operatives in the field hunt of the suspects. In total, the victim incurred a cost of Shs 3 million at Katwe Police. The money was distributed in various departments at the police division headquarters.

However, efforts and expenses did not yield any fruit as there was less coordination between agencies; that is Kampala Police and border security across the country.

on the 25^th October, the victim was called at Katwe Police Station and informed that the car had been found in West Nile district of Moyo, but again he was asked to facilitate the transportation of at least two officers from Kampala to Moyo.

The victim and two Police officers comprising of a flying squad operative and a CID officer travelled by bus to Moyo district.

Security officials who preferred anonymity due to sensitivity of the matter told chimp corps that the stolen vehicle was intercepted by Interpol on 12^th October when it was being transported on a ferry from Adjumani to Moyo as it was destined for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

On interception, police authorities said that a suspect identified as Amir Isa believed to be in his late twenties; a resident of Arua town was arrested and detained at Moyo central Police station.

According to preliminary reports, the suspect stated that he was a mere driver who was hired to drive the car from Adjumani and cross it to DRC through the porous borders in Moyo district.

Sources in the Interpol pointed out that they face a challenge of poor coordination in intelligence sharing between the local police and border security, hence a delay in recoveries.

Money Again

At Moyo Police, the district police commander asked the victim to pay Shs 2million cash before releasing the car and the suspect to be extradited to Kampala.

A process of haggling between the police and the victim dragged on for some time before the latter called Kampala Police authorities who ordered the DPC to accept Shs 700,000 which was readily available.

The car and suspect was handed over to the group from Kampala, but travelled under risk as the operatives were not armed while transporting such a high profile suspect.

Frustration

On reaching Kampala, authorities at Katwe Police division had released the first suspect; a one Bob Bamyufu without recording a proper account of how the car left his yard to Moyo. The action by police raised suspicion from the victims as it is believed that car robbers are deeply rooted in the Police force.

In our investigations, it has also been established that Police further frustrated the case by asking the victim to reach an understanding with the suspect for compensation.