More than 500 motorcycles believed to be stolen or used in robberies have been impounded in western Uganda.
The motorcycles were impounded in an operation conducted by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence at the police. They were recovered from the districts of Kyenjojo, Bundibugyo, Kanungu, Bushenyi and Kasese.
Paul Mumbogwe, the Kasese District Police Commander, addressing a news conference yesterday, said the largest number of stolen motorcycles was recovered in Kyenjojo. 250 motorcycles were impounded in that district.
Mumbogwe said Bushenyi has recorded the highest number of people murdered for the theft of their motorcycles. A total of 28 cases were reported since the operation begun late last year.
Kanungu district follows in close second, with 20 cases of motorcyclists killed during the theft of their vehicles.
The District Police Commander didn't provide the names of the dead or when they were murdered.
Among the impounded motorcycles was one owned by a man who was killed near the Kampala Golf Club in December last year. It was found in the possession of an army officer attached to the 305th Brigade in Hima. The name of the soldier wasn't released to the media for fear that it would jeopardize investigations.
Several people have turned up at Kasese Police Station to claim their motorcycles. A few of them claim they were victims of systematic extortion by the police because their motorcycles were impounded arbitrarily and no real charges have been filed against them.
The police deny this claim.
