Police authorities have successfully located and retrieved 215 iron sheets suspected to have been stolen from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). The iron sheets were discovered in Entebbe, Wakiso District, as confirmed by Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson Mr. Luke Owoyesigire.
According to Mr. Owoyesigire, the operation was initiated after police in Entebbe, under the leadership of the Division Police Commander (DPC), received information regarding a vehicle with registration number UAZ 305A Isuzu. This vehicle was reportedly loading iron sheets at a construction site, raising suspicions of theft. Mr. Owoyesigire made this statement yesterday.
Taking swift action, the officers responded to the situation on that night itself. They secured the area and dispatched a team the following morning to comprehensively manage the situation. The aim was to gain a deeper understanding of the iron sheets and the factors that led the informant to suspect theft.
The police noted that the construction site where the iron sheets were discovered is located in Nkumba, specifically in Katabi Town Council within the Wakiso District. This site, surrounded by an enclosed perimeter wall, is associated with an individual identified only as John.
Upon arrival at the site, law enforcement found a motor vehicle with the registration UAZ 305A, which had already loaded 51 iron sheets. Further investigation led to the recovery of an additional 164 iron sheets in one of the rooms on the premises, bringing the total number of recovered iron sheets to 215.
Mr. Owoyesigire highlighted that these particular iron sheets were marked for the Office of the Prime Minister. The police have gathered evidence from the construction site, including meter numbers for electricity and National Water. This evidence will aid in determining the identities of the individuals involved and provide more details about the owner. The authorities intend to pursue this line of inquiry.
The recovered items have been transported to the Entebbe Police Station, and the construction site remains cordoned off as a crime scene.
This development occurred in the context of a broader situation where three ministers are currently facing the Anti-Corruption Court in connection with allegations of diverting numerous iron sheets intended for vulnerable individuals in the Karamoja Sub-region.
The implicated ministers include Mary Gorreti Kitutu (Karamoja Affairs), Amos Lugoloobi (State Minister for Planning), and Agnes Nandutu (Junior Karamoja Affairs). All three ministers have denied any wrongdoing and are currently out on bail after spending some time in detention.
