The police in Busoga North and Buyende have arrested Vincent Ssempa, a former Member of Parliament (MP) aspirant of Buyende West, and his accomplices for attempted robbery and fraud.
According to SCP Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson, the fraud was rotating around the sale of a mercury stove which is considered by some people as a get rich quick deal.
Enanga revealed this while addressing the media during a weekly security brief at the Police Headquarters in Naguru, Kampala.
Enanga said that, Ssempa was in the company of his driver Isaac, Robert Musoke and Matia Ndimulodi, an Army officer of the Fisheries Protection Unit who were all arrested for attempted robbery and fraud in a mercury deal of a German stove.
“You know, there is that German stove which they claim that when you take it, you can get money. Yes it could be durable but it’s very rare to get these days. So, you should anticipate that it is something fraudulent,” Enanga said.
He added that, the transaction was supposed to take place in Busikwe village, Buyende district where Ssempa and colleagues went with chloroform and tried to intoxicate and sedate the sellers in order to loot the German stove and go with it freely.
“One of the sons in the home of Mzee Bamwegobe Mutwaire who was the victim, suspected them when he saw them trying to sedate these other members. He made an alarm which attracted members of the community,” Enanga added.
Enanga noted that, two of their accomplices identified as Fredrick Ngobi of Munyegela ward in Jinja, and a boda boda rider identified as Mohammed from Kamuli were mobbed to death after the deal went wrong.
“The Police responded and managed to arrest Ssempa Vincent, Isaac and Musoke Robert who were charged to court. The Fisheries and Protection officer, Matia Ndimulodi was handed over to the military to appear in the court martial,” Enanga said.
The Police is investigating the incidence of mob justice and lawlessness due to the fact that, there are people who took the law in their hands.