By Aliga Isa
Another high-profile case of robbery involving a Chinese national has occurred in Kampala city. He Wei lost $190,000 (about Shs 718 million) to a motorcycle-riding gang on Ssezibwa road in Kololo.
According to assistant inspector of police (AIP) Erasmus Matsiko’s report, Wei was robbed three days ago by assailants riding five motorcycles. Wei reportedly hired a boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) to collect the money from his home along Ssezibwa Road on Thursday at around 1 pm.
“He was robbed by thugs on motorcycles but they did not hurt him. To his surprise, even the boda-boda rider he had hired to take him to his home where he collected the money joined the gang of other riders. They drove off after grabbing his bag containing money,” Matsiko indicates in the report.
Wei recounted that the boda-boda riders suddenly surrounded him, initiating an unexpected attack. Despite his efforts to protect his bag, he was overpowered. He expressed disappointment as the boda-boda rider he hired also sided with the assailants and left him stranded.
This incident occurred shortly after another robbery targeting Lee Shao, where Shs 200 million was stolen. Shao, a Chinese national, was attacked on Wilson road. Although Shao managed to fire at the fleeing assailants, he did not hit them.
Investigations are ongoing, with no arrests made yet. Patrick Onyango the Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson said he was yet to get any briefing about the incident. Police reports suggest a review of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage to trace the direction taken by Wei’s robbers. AIP Matsiko’s report implies suspicion that the boda-boda used by Wei might have been linked to the perpetrators.
The case of Wei’s robbery has been recorded at Kampala Central Police Station (CPS) under CRB 2199/2023. Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson, cautioned against carrying substantial sums of money without adequate security, especially for foreigners.
This incident echoes a previous tragedy involving Ito Okira, a Japanese national who lost his life after a robbery in Kampala last September. Okira succumbed to injuries sustained during the attack and the culprits are currently remanded at Luzira Maximum Prison, facing amended charges that include murder following Okira’s tragic demise.
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