By Estella Jones
A new police report on the killings of Muslim clerics has revealed that the clerics are targeted for the cash donations they get from the Arab world.
There is a criminal gang operating in the central [region] targeting sheikhs listed on flyers. According to our findings sheikhs are killed due to the funds they get from Arab countries to own, support and manage schools and mosques,” Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said at the official unveiling of the report last week at Naguru police head office.
The fliers were first circulated in Kampala late last year before the December 28, 2014 fatal shooting of Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga at the Bwebajja mosque on Entebbe road. His name was on the list.
Reading bits of the 15-page report, Enanga said: “The criminal gangs use motorcycles with either tilted or removed registration number plates to trail and murder sheikhs, use AK 47 rifles, jackets and caps to conceal weapons and identity. They also operate between 7pm and 10pm and move in groups of two and three.”
He said the gangsters are highly trained killers.
“They target to kill; that is why they shoot in pressure parts of the body like the heart, chest, head and spinal code. They are believed to be behind the attacks on police officers within the central region in 2013 where five guns were robbed in Bwebajja, Wakiso district, Mulago and Kanyanya, Wampewo avenue and Seeta in Mukono,” he said.
The report reveals that most of the suspects arrested so far were once fighters of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) who got amnesty. Enanga said that according to the report, the suspects are hired to kill former ADF rebels largely to create a state of emergency in the country.
“It is suspected that the same gang was involved in the killing of Joan Kagezi, the acting assistant deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in charge of International Crimes Division,” Enanga said.
He said since 2012 when the killings started, they had so far arrested 60 suspects and prosecuted 32. Enanga said that although they had not yet arrested the prime suspects in the June 30, 2015 murder of Sheikh Hassan Kirya in Bweyogerere, they had arrested many suspects in the previous killings and charged them with murder, terrorism, crimes against humanity, attempted murder and aggravated robbery.
The report said flyers bearing portraits and names of targeted Muslim sheikhs within Kampala were recovered from the suspects. The flyers listed Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga, Sheikh Hassan Kirya, Sheikh Haruna Jemba, Sonko Najjib, Sheikh Muhamood Kibaate and Sheikh Ndawula Swadiq.
“The above were once members of the William street mosque where Amir Umar Sheikh Muhammed Yunusu Kamoga was their leader before they disagreed over property and management of funds collected from the mosque and shops,” Enanga said.
Sheikh Abdul Rashid Wafula was killed in May at his home at Ssajabi cell, Mbale district. Sheikh Abdu Karim Ssentamu was shot dead by unknown gunmen while returning to his home.
MURDERED SHEIKHS
1. Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Kirya
2. Sheikh Abdul Khadir Muwaya
3. Sheikh Yunus Madangu
4. Sheikh Abdul J. Ssentunga
5. Sheikh Mustafah Bahiga
6. Sheikh Abdul Rashid Wafula
7. Sheikh Abdu Karim Ssentamu
8. Hajji Abasi Abubaker Kiwewa
9. Hajji Abdul Karim Ssebaggala
No comments:
Post a Comment