Another case of shooting has been registered by police today after a rogue policeman shot dead a businessman at Rajja Chambers in Kampala Central Division before fleeing.
Uganda Police spokesperson for Metropolitan Kampala, Patrick Onyango identified the victim as Uttam Bhandari an Indian by Nationality and the shooter as Police Constable No; 67029 Wabwire Ivan.
The deceased Uttam Bandari was the Director of a money lending institution known as TFS Financial Services.
Onyango noted that relevant statements have already been recorded as investigations kick off to ascertain the motive of the murder and related information.
However, it has been established that Wabwire had acquired a loan with TFS Financial Services in 2020, which had turned bad and was allegedly in the process to have another bank buy off the loan.
Insider information indicates that in 2020, Wabwire procured a loan of One million shillings (IM UGX) from TFS Financial Services but had been struggling to pay back since then.
Information available to us shows that he only paid installments for the first three months and stopped, leaving the loan and the interest to accumulate to 2.2million shillings.
It has been also established that the management of TFS have been making an effort to reach out to Wabwire and devise means of settling the loan obligation but he was not forthcoming with Wabwire complaining about the interest charged and the growth of his loan portfolio.
Two days ago (on Wednesday) Wabwire showed up at the TFS office at Rajja Chambers and demanded to know the outstanding balance and be given a quotation with an intention to have another unidentified bank buy the loan, an initiative the management of TFS did not approve.
Today at around 12:30, Wabwire returned to TFS office in police uniform with an AK47 riffle and riding on a Police motorbike allegedly coming from Central Police Station, Kampala.
Immediately after entering the premises, he fired several shots in the air with another shot aiming at the feet of his victim sending the girls who were operating the front desk to flee.
It is alleged that Wabwire whose rage was now uncontrollable went on to murder Uttam Bhandari in cold blood, before he walked out and quickly fled the scene using a boda-boda.
Police later reported that Wabwire went straight to CPS Kampala where he abandoned the killer gun and fled.
The victim’s body has been conveyed to Mulago Hospital mortuary as police commence investigations into the incident.
The scene of crime has been cordoned off and Wabwire is now a fugitive on the run according to Patrick Onyango.
Unanswered questions:
1. How did the private security guards at TFS financial institution respond to the shooting and what was their role as the whole incident of shooting played out?
2. What was the response of other armed personnel being a highly guarded zone with KCCA offices (City Hall) adjacent to the scene of crime and Parliament gate on the other side, as well as key offices including the Office of the IGG, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of ICT all in vicinity?
3. Could the police at CPS fail to pick the information about the shooting and apprehend the killer on arrival at CPS?
4. Can CCTV cameras installed around city fail to trace the killer from the point he deposited the gun to flee?
