Two Kenyan Nationals Suspected of Aggravated Robbery Arrested in Jinja City

Two Kenyan nationals suspected of participating in an aggravated robbery network targeting bank customers have been arrested in Jinja City following a foiled attack on a businessman. The suspects, identified as Irene Kananu, 42, and Nanis Kaguri, 38, are currently detained at Jinja Central Police Station on charges of aggravated robbery and obtaining money by false pretenses.

Kiira Region Police confirmed that the duo is part of a larger criminal syndicate that allegedly trails victims who withdraw large sums of money from banks and follows them to their destinations for robbery. The arrest stems from a Monday evening incident in which four suspected robbers trailed Sheikh Edrisa Songole after he withdrew 46 million shillings from an undisclosed bank in Jinja City.

Police say Songole was travelling in a Toyota Harrier, registration number UBF 715B, when he noticed he was being followed by occupants of a numberless saloon car along Spire Road in the central business district. Fearing for his safety, he reportedly diverted into a mosque along the same road. The suspects continued trailing him, prompting an alarm that attracted members of the public.

Residents quickly surrounded the suspects’ vehicle and stoned it in an attempt to block their escape. Two female suspects were forcefully pulled out, while two male accomplices managed to flee the scene. Police intervened using live ammunition fired in the air and teargas to disperse the crowd and secure the suspects from mob justice.

Kiira Regional Police Spokesperson James Mubi confirmed the arrest, saying the suspects are now facing prosecution. Mubi further revealed that the two women have allegedly confessed to being part of a wider Kenyan-led racket operating across Eastern Uganda, targeting cities and towns including Jinja, Mbale, Soroti, Tororo, Iganga, and Bugiri.

According to preliminary investigations, the group allegedly uses female operatives to identify and monitor clients withdrawing large sums from banks, before relaying information to accomplices who execute the theft and robbery attempts. Police say forensic teams are currently analyzing CCTV footage from both public and private surveillance systems to identify and arrest other members of the gang who remain at large.