Police have heightened deployment of personnel in Greater Masaka following a spate of violent crimes in the region, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) spokesperson, Charles Mansio Twiine, has said.
“The personnel include high proficient investigators from CID headquarters as well as experts from the Directorate of Forensic Services. The region will inevitably be pacified,” Twiine said in a tweet today.
The development comes at a time when operatives from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and Internal Security Organisation have also been deployed in Masaka to bring an end to the rising panga attack cases.
About 30 people have been attacked by panga-wielding thugs who have in the past few weeks caused panic in the Greater Masaka region, as some of the victims have lost their lives.
On Wednesday, the thugs hacked to death 75-year-old Tonesiti Lukyamuzi as he returned to his home in Kyamuyiimbwa, Kimaanya-Kabonera, within Masaka city.
Lukyamuzi was reportedly attacked as he opened the door to his house, only to be saved by a neighbour who raised an alarm, forcing the attackers to flee.
At least 36 suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the panga attacks, according to Muhammad Nsubuga, the Masaka regional police spokesperson.
Last year, similar attacks by panga-wielding thugs happened in Greater Masaka and Kampala metropolitan region.
In Kampala alone, police announced a robust approach to fight the crime and arrested over 21 suspects and the cases subsided.
