Kampala, Uganda | URN | Security agencies hunting for assailants that riddled Gen Edward Katumba Wamala’s military vehicle on June 1st at Kisota road with bullets have shot dead one Hussein Wahab Lubwama alias Master, the suspect who allegedly killed the General’s daughter, Brenda Nantongo and driver Haruna Kayondo.
The deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Paul Lokech, who has been superintending the joint investigations said Master was put out of action by forces because he attempted to fight them.
Asked to explain whether Master had a gun he was using to fight the forces, Gen Lokech said he was skilled in taekwondo and martial arts.
Gen Lokech said Master is the suspect who was captured by Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) wearing a stripped blued t-shirt before and after showering Gen Katumba’s vehicle. Gen Lokech said Master is the one who pumped several bullets on the right side of the vehicle where Nantongo was sitting and it was his same gun that killed the driver Kayondo.
“The guy who shot and killed the daughter and driver on the right side of the vehicle was called Master but his real name is Hussein Wahab Lubwama,” Gen Lokech said. “If you remember in the footage, he was putting on a stripped t-shirt and moving with the gun. When my team zeroed in on Master we got him. And he was trying to fight my forces and he was put out of action.”
Master, according to Gen Lokech ferried the gun in a 42-inch TV box. Security has identified Master’s rider as Kamada Walusimbi alias Kanaabe alias Mudinka alias Ogema. Gen Lokech said Master often called Walusimbi Ogema while their overall commander, one Sheikh Abudin Hubaida Taheel Bukenya referred to him as Mudinka. Security says Sheikh Bukenya is still on the run.
Walusimbi is currently in security cells. According to intelligence teams and investigators, Walusimbi rode Master up to Oryx fuel station in Bukoto where the alleged killer gun was handed over to Muhamad Kagugube. Kagugube later moved the gun to Mustafa Kawawa Ramadan alias Amin. Amin also handed over the gun to Kasambira Sirimin alias Mukwase.
“The mastermind of all these attacks and cell of ADF in Kampala is Sheikh Obadia and he is on the run, he could be here or Eastern DRC and all these groups are linked to ADF which is operating in Eastern DRC,” Gen Lokech said.
Security says Gen. Katumba attackers orchestrated the murder of Maj Muhammad Kiggundu on November 26, 2016, the murder of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi on March 17, 2017, and others robberies in Nansana, Kalerwe and Mpelerwe.
Uganda Police full statement on Gen. Katumba’s attackers
The Task Team actively investigating the double murder of Nantogo Brenda and Kayondo Haruna; and the attempted murder of General Katumba Wamala and his body guard Sgt. Koboyoit Khalid, has made a major breakthrough, and arrested 4 more suspects, highly connected to the double murder and attempted assassination which occurred on the 1.06.2021.
The major breakthrough was as a result of the man leads, that were actively pursued by the task team, and led to the arrest of Muhammad Kagugube alias BAFUMOYA on the 26.06.2021. Upon interrogation, he admitted to having participated in the violent attack, when he carried out surveillance on the movement of General Katumba Wamala from his home.
He immediately alerted the assault team, as soon as he spotted him and the direction he was taking. After alerting the assault team, he went up to Bukoto near Oryx Petrol Station, where he waited for the two guns, but received only one and rode away with it.
The suspect provided details, which led to the arrest of Walusimbi Kamada alias MUDINKA alias OGEMA, one of the riders who transported the shooters. Upon his arrest, he led the team, in reconstructing the scene and clearly demonstrated how the double murder and attempted assassination took place.
And how he transported his shooter called KANAABE, through Kisota-Kisaasi-Bukoto upto Sebagala road, where he handed over the motorcycle to the shooter, Kanaabe.
A thorough search was conducted at all his known premises and valuable exhibits of a black helmet, 10 jackets, and one of the motorcycles used in the planning, preparation and execution of the plot recovered. The suspect was taken through the footages of surveillance and execution, and positively identified himself while riding one of the shooters, KANAABE.
The task team proceeded to Kawanda village and arrested KISAMBIRA SIRIMAN alias Mukwasi who received one of the killer weapons, from Lutwama Hussein alias Master, which he also later handed over to another member of the terror cell known as Mustafa Kawawa Ramadan alias AMIN alias MUSA. Also recovered from him was a motorcycle, under registration number UEJ283L which was used in the plot.
The team followed up and arrested Mustafa Kawawa Ramadan alias AMIN alias MUSA, from his home in Maganjo “B” LC1, Seruwumba Sub-zone, Maganjo Parish, Nabweru Division. Upon search at his home, various exhibits, including materials used in making improvised explosive devices were recovered, as well as Al-Qaeda training manuals on how to make and detonate bombs, military materials, secret communication codes, and several Western Union transfer receipts from foreign services. Also recovered are two T-shits used during the surveillance of General Katumba.
The task team further tracked down and arrested Lubwama Hussein alias Kinene Christopher alias MASTER, a resident of Kabulengwa – Kyebando in Nansana Municipality; who was arrested along Nansana Nabweru road.
The suspect who was the team leader and head of the domestic terror cell, put up very stiff resistance to the extent of grabbing a gun from an officer, but was subdued by the task team. He later succumbed to the injuries.
He was the mastermind behind the plot, and the one who commanded all the other suspects before, during and after execution of the planned assassination. He provided all logistics of guns, motorbikes, mobile phones and facilitation used in the surveillance and execution.
We have now established that the overall coordination of these domestic terror cells is by Sheikh ABUDIN HUBAIDA TAHEEL BUKENYA, an ex-ADF combatant who was given Amnesty, but has violated it. He is reactivating the domestic terror cells and is the brain behind the recruitment of assailants like Muhammad Kagugube alias BAFUMOYA and Lubwama Hussein alias Kinene Christopher alias Master.
The group has been behind the robberies of Nansana Cheap Store, Ntake Robbery and Murder and the robbery on the Supermarket at Mpererwe. Their linkage to the earlier suspects, charged to court is that the killer gun, is linked to the murder of the late AIGP Andrew Felix Kawesi and Major Kiggundu.
Read Also: Gen Katumba attackers were skilled in urban warfare – Security experts
We would like to confirm that this is a straight forward case of political violence and domestic terrorism. The suspects are part of the team that trained in the North Kivu ADF camp and had started reactivating the domestic terror cells in the country.
We want to applaud the Joint Task Teams for their breakthrough in cracking down the terror gang. We are now pursuing other members of the emerging domestic terror cell including the second shooter, KANAABE.
As I conclude, I would like to reassure all Ugandans and visitors to the country, that we continue to monitor the bad elements and all terror hotspots to help prevent the re-emergence of such acts of domestic terror aimed at undermining the prevailing stability, peace and security in the country.
PAUL LOKECH cgsc, (USA) ndc, (RSA)
Maj. General
DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
1st July 2021
