Police in Kampala are investigating the circumstances under which 12-year-old Eldrine Babalanda, was shot and injured in a gun pursuit on New Year’s Eve.
This incident happened on December 31, 2024, at around 9:25 pm in Kyebando6, Kawempe North, in Kampala city .
Initial reports show that Babalanda was traveling in a taxi with registration number UBC 939D driven by Robert Nsubuga when Mohammed Kitaka, the driver of a Toyota Harrier registration number UBQ 699B, started shooting at the taxi.
It is alleged that Kitaka was attempting to deter thieves who had tried to rob him while driving when a stray bullet from the pursuit accidentally struck young Babalanda, who was seated in the back of the taxi.
According to taxi driver Nsubuga, he immediately stopped the taxi when the young boy was injured and informed Mohammed that he had injured somebody, but he just drove off.
Babalanda was rushed to a nearby health facility by his father before he was referred to Mulago Hospital for better medical assistance.
’’After reporting the incident at Kanyanya police station, a case was recorded by police on CRB 434/2024, and the detectives carried out a manhunt for the suspect until he was arrested,’’ Nsubuga said.
Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, revealed that the police retrieved footage from the CCTV cameras and placed the Toyota Harrier UBQ 669B into the system as a wanted car for committing a crime.
Onyango added that all police stations in the Kampala metropolitan area were given an alert message to impound this vehicle on sight, to which they acted promptly, and this led to the arrest of the suspected shooter.
’’The safety and security of all citizens is paramount, and currently Kitaka is under police custody and is going to face the law for his crime,” Onyango disclosed.
Onyango mentioned that a case of attempted murder has been filed against Kitaka and investigations were still going on to ascertain the cause of the crime.
He called upon all those with firearms to stop misusing them, as this is a danger to both their victims and themselves, and once caught for gun mishandling, the punishment will be severe.
On July 23, 2024, a shooting in Kyengera Town Council resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including a passerby and a suspected kidnapper. The incident occurred during a confrontation involving the alleged kidnapper and the suspect, who claims to have disarmed the kidnapper during the altercation.
The suspect alleged that the deceased male in UPDF attire and others intercepted and kidnapped him earlier that day while he was with friends and family in Buwama, and this is why he had to fight him off.
These incidents illustrate a troubling trend of increasing gun violence in Uganda, prompting both law enforcement and government officials to take action to curb this growing issue.
