Police in Bundibugyo District in western Uganda have arrested one Bwambale Sunday Swaibu, for masterminding the murder and subsequent robbery of lawyer , Robert Kifunga Aguma who also served as the Bundibugyo NRM registrar.
Aguma, 43 a Managing Partner at Aguma Kifunga and Company Advocates found in Makindye was last month murdered and body dumped in Bundibugyo at a footpath near Bimala river lying supine and barefoot .
The manner in which the lawyer who also doubled as the NRM registrar in Bundibugyo was killed sent shockwaves to many.
However, following the incident, a joint team of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence(CMI) and Police’s Crime Intelligence Division took all leads in a bid to get to the bottom of the killing and consequently, they retrieved CCTV cameras from Centenary Bank in Fort Portal where it was indicated the deceased had withdrawn shs42 million prior to his death.
Footage from other CCTV cameras also indicated that Bwambale had been seen in the same vehicle UBL 885 F with the deceased.
According to police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, a thorough evaluation and analysis of incidents prior to the lawyer’s death indicated that on March, 25, 2022, Bwambale in his own vehicle escorted the deceased lawyer to Fort Portal town where he withdrew sh42 million from Centenary Bank and drove towards Bundibugyo.
“The information our teams got is that Bwambale then alerted his accomplices in Bundibugyo who lured the lawyer into a gold transaction. When the two arrived (in Bundibugyo) at around 8pm, they met with the said gold dealers but these lured him(lawyer) into a trap,”Enanga said.
According to the police spokesperson, after being led into the trap, the lawyer was strangled him to death and the shs42 million that he had withdrawn from the bank in Fort Portal was robbed.
It was later shared between the deceased lawyer’s best friend, Bwambale and a group of other people.
The body was later transported for a distance of three kilometres and dumped in a footpath.
Arrest, confession
The joint security team last week arrested Bwambale from his home in Kasese but on interrogation, he denied any involvement in the gruesome murder of his best friend.
According to Enanga, Bwambale later admitted to orchestrating the murder and later robbery after CCTV footage from Centenary Bank in Fort Portal and along the way depicted him together with the deceased.
He then opened up on the gruesome murder.
Bwambale told the operatives that after the murder and robbery, he made sure he attended the funeral and burial of the deceased lawyer so as not to raise any suspicion from the family members.
“Initially he denied involvement claiming the deceased was his best friend and that he had participated in the burial where he even contributed money to cater for some expenses. Those who saw him at the burial say he was so emotional and gave a moving tribute. When we showed him private CCTV footages from the bank and two other places, he broke down and confessed to having conspired to kill and rob the lawyer. He told us he attended the funeral so that the deceased’s relatives don’t suspect him,”Enanga said.
The police spokesperson said the hunt for Bwambale’s accomplices is still on to ensure they answer to charges of aggravated robbery ,murder and related conspiracies
