Police in Nakaseke District have arrested five individuals in connection with the vandalism and malicious damage to power wires and poles. The vandalism, which led to a blackout, occurred on Thursday, July 4, 2024, along Bulyana Road in Kikandwa Parish, Semuto Town Council.   

The suspects hail from beyond Nakaseke District, including Wakiso District and Kampala City. According to Savannah Regional Police spokesperson Sam Twiineamazima, the suspects include Franswa Mugisha, 45, a contractor from Ganda Zone, Nabweru Sub County; Moses Lugya Kiyingi, 43, a businessman from Kyebando Nsumbi Zone; Mugerwa Jimmy, 43, a technician from Nansana, Wakiso District; Mugerwa Denis, 28, a bodaboda rider from Kasengeja Zone, Wakiso District; and Kanwagi Ben, 35, an electrician from Kasengeja Zone.    

Around 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, the Officer in Charge of Semuto Police Station received a tip from a vigilant community member about a suspicious motor vehicle and motorcycle parked at the Kikandwa Trading Center. The police responded swiftly, discovering and impounding a black Toyota Raum (registration number UAQ 280M) and a red motorcycle (registration number UGA 369X). Solid electrical wires were found inside the vehicle.   

The five suspects were arrested on the spot and taken to Nakaseke Central Police Station for further investigation. Twiineamazima thanked the community for its alertness and assistance, which was crucial in apprehending the perpetrators. Further investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the vandalism and hold those involved accountable.

In October 2021, two men were arrested for stealing power transmission cables worth Shillings 25 million, affecting the rural electrification project in Nakaseke’s neighboring Luwero District.

The suspects, Brian Mwesigwa, 24, and John Ogweta, 20, both residents of Kasana in Luwero Town Council, were caught red-handed by police after intensified patrols and a dragnet operation. 

They were intercepted in Kasiiso village, Butuntumula Sub-County, after attempting to evade arrest by speeding off on motorcycles.

***URN***