Police have launched an investigation to ascertain circumstances under which police officers from Nagalama police station shot and killed a man suspected to have been trailing Hon. Aida Nantaba Erios, The Hon. Minister of State for ICT and Woman Member of Parliament Kayunga District.
The incident which spread like wild fire happened on Sunday morning when two men dressed in black leather suits and riding a silver grey Suzuki sports motorcycle Reg No.UDL 822A, allegedly trailed the minister in what has been described as 'a threatening manner' over a distance of 40 kms, from Sezibwa bridge up to Nagalama trading centre.
It is alleged that two riders at around 11:00am on Sunday, rode past the Hon. Minister's official vehicle after, made a U-turn, drove back and pulled alongside the roadside market after Sezibwa bridge. One of them came to the stall where she was buying fruits and pretended to seek for the direction to Kabimbiri trading centre. "His suspicious conduct prompted her bodyguard to respond and they drove off" Fred Enanga the police spokesperson says.
Now, acting on a hunch, hon. Nantaba branched and alerted the police at Nagalama, about the suspicious conduct of the riders.
According to Enanga, the two suspicious riders, upon noticing that the Hon. minister had branched and alerted the police at Nagalama , diverted and attempted to escape in the direction of Kimenyede – Mayangayanga Road .
"The response teams at Nagalama, pursued them, and after a long chase forced them to abandon their sports motorcycle at Nagojje trading centre, several shots were fired in their direction, to cause them to surrender, but all in vain. In the process, Sebbulime Ronald a resident of Nakabugo Village, Nakabugo Parish, Pakiso Sub County, and Busiro County in Wakiso District was shot dead during the pursuit. The police is still searching the area with canine dogs for the second suspect, who is feared armed and dangerous" Enanga told the media at his office in Naguru last evening.
Adding that; "We want to inform the public that The Hon. Minister, despite the scare is very safe and was not attacked at any stage as alleged in the media. Due to the signature technique of attacks from assailants perched on the back of moving motorcycles, the police is taking keen interest, in this investigation, to establish the motive of the suspects. The mobile phone to the deceased, the motorcycle and identification documents recovered are essential leads in our investigation."
The minister is believed to have acted on a hunch to inform police about the suspicious riders. In the past, people with similar traits as the duo shot and killed several Sheikhs, Joan Kagezi, Andrew Felix Kaweesi and Hon. Ibrahim Abiriga among other high profile officials.
It remains unclear whether indeed the dead man was seeking directions to that particular place and dis not have any I'll intentions of killing the minister, or he and the colleague wanted to assassinate her.
We await police report.