Police in Entebbe, Wakiso district is holding three men on allegations of dropping anonymous letters threatening the Mayor, Katabi Town Council, Kalema Ronald and other people in the area.
The letters were also circulated on several social media platforms including Whatsapp, sparking fear and anxiety among the residents.
In one of the letters, Mayor Kalema is asked to provide two million shillings in seven days or else face their wrath.
“We want Shs 2 million after reading this message and we have given you only seven hours to do what we want, short of which, we chop one by one,” reads one of the said leaflets in part.
Now, CP Fred Enanga says the suspects have been identified as William, a 27 year old mechanic of Bunono village, Katabi Town Council, Kirigwajjo Hasadu, a former private bodyguard to the Mayor Kalema Ronald during the recent elections and Baluku Ronald.
“The suspects have been using the anonymous letters as a cover-up to their criminal acts of stealing car number plates and house burglaries. The gang leader who is on the run has been identified as “Taata Mzee”, while Lubega William, the mechanic was the major supplier of house breaking tools and implements,” says CP Enanga.
It is alleged that on August 28, 2021, at around 3am, the suspects broke into the home of Mulindwa Andrew, at Nalugala village and stole the number plates from a Mercedes Benz reg. No UAM 285Z. They also allegedly shattered the windscreen of another motor vehicle reg. No. UBB 850Y and vandalised it.
Enanga explains that with the help of Kingwajjo Hasadu, a former private bodyguard to the Mayor, Katabi Town Council, they dropped letters threatening his life and also demanded 2M shillings.
Other persons threatened in the letters include John Mary, Ssebowa and journalists from Entebbe.
“Upon their arrest, a search was conducted at their known premises, and an assortment of house breaking implements were recovered and other threatening documents. They further led to the recovery of the stolen number plate UAM 285Z from a banana plantation at Nalugala village,” says Enanga.
He adds that the team of investigators is recording as many statements from residents, who saw or learnt about the anonymous letters and the contents of panga attacks and killings.
He says, no resident of the area has been harmed so far, but it does not change the fact that the suspects used the anonymous letters, authored by them to threaten and frighten people who did not share their views.
The development comes at the backdrop of rampant killings which have taken place in a couple of districts of the Masaka subregion including Masaka, Lwengo, Bukomansimbi and Rakai from June to last month. Authorities say about 30 people were mysteriously killed.
The killers would hit the victims on the head with blunt objects, sometimes after dropping anonymous letters alerting their targets that they are coming for their lives, which they consequently effect.