A pre-dawn police operation in Mubende District has exposed what authorities believe is a growing network of cattle thieves, after suspects abandoned a vehicle and fled into the darkness, leaving behind stolen livestock.
The incident unfolded at around 3:00am in Kisiita village, Kigando Sub-county, where police officers had mounted a snap checkpoint along the Butawaata–Kuminamukaaga road.
A white Toyota Noah, registration number UA 397 AR, approached the checkpoint but came to an abrupt halt. Before officers could intervene, its occupants leapt out and disappeared into darkness.
A swift pursuit followed, with officers joined by nearby residents who responded to the commotion. The chase ended with the arrest of one suspect, Christopher Ayesiga, a resident of Hoima, while others managed to escape under cover of darkness.
A search of the abandoned vehicle revealed a disturbing find.
Hidden beneath a tarpaulin in the back of the car was a black-and-white bull, tightly bound and suspected to have been stolen.
The discovery pointed to a well-coordinated operation, one that extended beyond the suspects who had fled the scene.
During interrogation, Ayesiga disclosed that the group had been traveling in two vehicles and that another had already slipped past before the checkpoint was set up. Acting quickly on this lead, police launched a search along the suspected route. Their efforts paid off in Kabateza village, where they found a second animal, a black cow, tied and abandoned by the roadside, likely discarded in a hurried attempt to evade capture.
Both animals were recovered alive, and the vehicle was secured as evidence. Police have since recorded statements from officers involved, witnesses, and the suspect now in custody, as investigations intensify.
Lameck Kigozi, the Wamala policing region spokesperson, said the incident is part of a broader crackdown on cattle theft in Mubende and the wider Wamala Region, a crime that has long plagued farmers and eroded livelihoods.
With one suspect behind bars and others still on the run, police insist the pursuit is far from over, signaling a renewed determination to dismantle the networks behind these thefts and restore security for livestock owners.
