In the quiet trading center of Nansana Gganda, what began as a routine morning for businessman Joshua Mbowa quickly turned into a crime scene investigation.
At dawn on February 20, 2026, Mbowa arrived to open his shop , only to find it violated.
Sheets of iron roofing had been carefully cut away, the ceiling board torn through. Someone had broken in from above under the cover of darkness.
Cash was missing, and the thieves had vanished without a trace.
Mbowa wasted no time. He reported the break-in to officers at Nansana Gganda Police Station, who immediately called in reinforcement from the Kawaala K9 Unit.
Within hours, officers and a trained police sniffer dog named Pepper were at the scene.
The crime scene had been preserved, giving the K9 unit a crucial advantage. Once introduced to the scent, Pepper locked in.
Nose to the ground, the dog tracked a trail stretching nearly one kilometre through the neighborhood. The scent led officers directly to a house, and Pepper stopped.
Inside the residence, the dog singled out three men: Atwine, Mwange, and Namara.
According to preliminary police findings, the trio lives and sleeps in the same house.
A search of the premises uncovered items investigators believe were used in the break-in, a pair of scissors suspected to have cut through the iron sheets, a hammer, and a sum of cash believed to be part of the stolen money.
The three suspects were immediately arrested and transported to Gganda Police Station, where they remain in custody as investigations continue.
What the suspects may not have anticipated was that even a carefully cut rooftop can leave behind a trail, and in this case, it was a determined K9 named Pepper that followed it straight to their door.
