Government of Uganda, through Interpol has successfully coordinated the return of Patrick Kashaija, alias Patrick Agaba, alias “PATO”, from South Africa.
Kashaija is a wanted Ugandan fugitive, who was arrested on the 7th, March, 2018, by members of Interpol South Africa, Crime Intelligence and the National Investigation Unit at his residential address in Midrand, South Africa.
However, the fugitive was handed over to a special team of detectives from Uganda who transported him to Uganda on 15th, May, 2019, and took him into police custody, for further interrogation.
“As you are all aware, the suspect was highly suspected to be the person behind the voice recorded, during the phone negotiations, over the USD 1M ransom, and the advance payment of USD200,000, that was effected on the 24th, February, 2018, which formed the basis of the IGP’s request then” CP Fred Enanga the police spokesperson says.
He adds that Kashaija’s conduct towards the end of the ordeal was very suspicious, when on the 13th February, 2018, he applied for a Visa to South Africa, with a flight plan for 16th, February, 2018. Instead, he left Entebbe International Airport, on the 17th, February, 2018, for Harare, through Nairobi, where he however, stopped and falsely declared to the immigration officials, how he was returning to Uganda, from, Accra, Ghana.
The suspect then returned to Uganda on the same day and thereafter, travelled by road, through Botswana to South Africa on the 24th, Febuary, 2018, coincidentally the same date the advance ransom payment was delivered to the perpetrators.
The suspect allegedly possessed two Passports; Number B0661869 that was valid until 3/03/2018, in the names of Agaba Patrick, and Number B1177225 that is valid till 19/01/2025 in the names of Kashaija Patrick.
“We would like to thank the Directorate of Interpol and International Relations, which initiated an international fugitive investigation with support from the offices of the Inspector General of Police and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.”
Enanga says they coordinated closely with the Prosecutors Office and Law Enforcement Personnel in South Africa, who helped in the location and arrest of the suspect. And on the 25/03/2019, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services signed an extradition order, for the return of the suspect to Uganda from South Africa.
“We do highly appreciate the maximum cooperation, between Uganda and South Africa, based on full compliance to the International Legal obligations and the existing historical bilateral agreements. This demonstrates both our resolve to hold persons inevitably liable, for crimes committed within or outside their countries” he noted.
The suspect is still presumed innocent until proven beyond reasonable doubt before the courts of law. In the meantime, his case file is being processed for the attention of the DPP, who upon perusal will determine whether to jointly charge him with the eight other accused persons already committed to the High Court or not
