Police in Kampala have busted a criminal gang ring leader and his accomplices believed to be part of a bigger racket involved in the serial theft and sale of motorcycles countrywide.
The suspects currently in custody at Kibuye police post in Makindye Division were arrested following an intelligence-led operation.
They include; Sekamwa Sulaiman Kweyangana, a resident of Nabingo, Kayirimuko, Kisito, Mukasa Aka Jajaj and Doctor.
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire says the suspects operate by stealing motorcycles, switching the chassis, engine, and number plates of the stolen machines to correspond with those in the registration log book before selling them off in other parts of the country.
Owoyesigyire says the gang leader Sekamwa coordinates with other members of his network to transport the motorcycles branded as new from various bus parks in Kampala.
He has listed Seguya a resident of Kinabalu whose duty is to switch number plates while two others including Walusimbi Edgar and Njora to ride the changed motorcycles to Namayiba bus park and Arua bus park where there are loaded and destined to Gulu where there are sold as new motorcycles.
He says police searched the residence of Seguya located at Kibuye 1 in Makindye Division and recovered spare parts and a Bajaj Boxer motorcycle that had been changed to UFL 534V from its original number UFS 840M.
He adds that police has made a major breakthrough in the process because previously, they faced hurdles in the courts of law when prosecuting the suspects because the altered numbers on motorcycles don't match Uganda Revenue Authority details.