The semi trailer tanker, Mercedes Benz, blue in color, under reg. no. UAU 402E, which was intercepted at Bukoyo Village, along the Iganga-Jinja highway, by a group of 5 armed thugs, on the 21.10.2023, at around 9pm, and robbed at gun point with 34 tonnes of Kerosene, was recovered from Jinja City, by the territorial police from Kiira region. All the Kerosene, which was being transported from Kenya to Kampala Prompet Energies Ltd, depot was found intact.
The scene was thoroughly documented, and the trailer with all its goods handed over to the management of Prompet Energies Ltd. The driver of the trailer, Abdul Nuru, a Somali national based in Kisumu, Kenya, who was attacked, dragged out, tied both hands and legs, and bundled into the car boot, of a Toyota Wish, whose number plates were not identified, was recovered, while dumped in Kakira sugar plantation. He was given first aid and his statement recorded at Iganga police station.
Efforts are now in place to have the suspects who fled from the scene, identified, tracked down, and arrested for their criminal actions. The incident also shows that goods in transit, including fuel, continue to be targeted, especially at night, which calls for extra vigilance and target hardening measures. The thugs attempted to break the seal in vain.
The Police Spokesperson Fred Enaga has commended the police response teams from the Kiira region, Busoga East, Jinja city, and Iganga, for their swift response and coordination, which led to the successful recovery of the trailer and its goods. He further called upon all truck drivers to call the National Operations Command Center on telephone numbers 0800199399, 0800199699 and report any suspicious activity.
