Kyengera Town Council Councillor Arrested for Theft of 5 Cows

Nsangi Division police arrested the Buddo ward councillor, Shafic Mutebi, on allegations of stealing five cows. Mutebi was arrested on Thursday alongside, Angelo Mugambe, the former Personal Assistant to Kyengera Town Council Mayor, Mathias Walukaga. 

The arrest comes after Nsangi Division Police Commander (DPC) Rogers Chebene, was informed by a butcher, Ali Selubiri, that there were people who had approached him to help them slaughter five cows.

Selubiri asked them where they had got the cows from and he was informed by the duo that they belonged to one of their relatives who developed a mental illness. “They told me the owner of the cows was mentally ill and abandoned them.

"They said the cows are staying unattended to and they could be stolen. They said I should help them slaughter the cows and also help them search for meat buyers,” Selubiri said.

However, Selubiri declined to slaughter the cows since Mutebi and Mugambe did not have documents showing ownership. He instead secretly informed Nsangi DPC Chebene who also deployed covert officers who disguised themselves as potential buyers.

“When this good citizen informed me about these suspected cattle thieves, I sent my covert officers who disguised as buyers. They found these people with the cows and they have been arrested. We shall arraign them in court to face theft charges,” Chebene told the media. 

It has since emerged that the cows belonged to Godfrey Ssentamu, a resident of Mawuggulu, Maya, in Nsangi sub-county, in Wakiso district. Ssentamu is currently reportedly battling a mental condition at Butabika Mental Hospital which he allegedly got after he was hit by Mugambe with a club on the head. 

Police have established that Mugambe first tried to fraudulently sell Ssentamu’s land but the move failed. It was at that point Mugambe in collaboration with Mutebi hit Ssentamu with a club which made him unconscious. Ssentamu was admitted to Mulago Hospital but after recovering, he developed a mental illness which forced relatives to send him to Butabika Mental Hospital.

Mayor Walukaga urged leaders not to abandon their income-generating activities once they get elected into office. Walukaga said Mugambe and Mutebi developed a sense that they are big people because they are leaders at Kyengera town council and this sense has forced them to engage in theft and fraud to maintain their status. 

“I am the Mayor of Kyengera town council but I have never abandoned my music career. I am ever in singing in every place I have been paid to perform. I look for clients on my own. Don’t leave your job because you have been elected into an office,” Walukaga said.