Mbarara Police has is holding Paul Barigye alias Mattu, who has been on police list of the most wanted criminals. Barigye is a resident of Karujembe, Katojo in Nyakayojo Sub County Mbarara district and a former employee of a private security firm. He was picked up on Tuesday following a four hour’s shootout with security operatives at Biafura village in Kamukuzi division in Mbarara Municipality.
Kenneth Muheirwe, Mbarara district police commander says that 26-year-old Barigye has been the mastermind of various robberies in Mbarara and its surroundings. He says that police acted on a tip off from residents of Biafura village and set up a trap for the suspect. Muheirwe says that Barigye drew up a pistol and started shooting the cops who had been deployed to arrest him forcing them to open in retaliation.
Barigye was shot in the leg before he was arrested. He says that Barigye was behind the attack of Kiruhura Woman M.P Beatrice Rusaniya last month. Muheirwe says that they have been trailing Barigye since Rusaniya was robbed. He says that shortly after the robbery police picked up some members of Barigye’s gang, but he has been eluding arrest by because he had changed his area of operation from Mbarara to Kamwenge district.
Muheirwe says that the suspect will be treated before he is arraigned in court to face charges of aggravated robbery and illegal possession of fire arms under police file number CRB 2157/12.
