Kira Road Police have arrested a notorious Northern Bypass thug, Gideon Matwa, following a tip-off from one of his recent victims, John Iraphasa, who bravely trailed him to his hideout.
Matwa, 35, a resident of Kazinga Zone in Kiwatule Parish, Nakawa Division, has been linked to over ten reported attacks along the Northern Bypass—particularly in the Kiwatule and Metroplex Naalya areas
According to Iraphasa, the incident happened in Lower Kazinga, where Matwa ambushed him near a fish pond.
“He was waiting for me at the gate. He attacked and robbed me of my smartphone before fleeing. I followed him until he jumped into a nearby stream,” Iraphasa told police.
Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Patrick Onyango confirmed that Iraphasa quickly alerted police, who responded in coordination with Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) personnel stationed along the Northern Bypass.
“Matwa was apprehended in the stream. Our officers recovered two smartphones from him. During interrogation, he admitted to operating in Northern Bypass areas including Lower Kazinga and Metroplex Naalya,” Onyango said.
Matwa reportedly confessed to attacking over ten people in recent weeks, stealing smartphones, wallets, and breaking into houses and shops.
“I’m the one who punched a woman at Metroplex and stole her smartphone and a bag of money,” he admitted during questioning at Kira Road Police. “The phones I steal are high-end—these two alone are worth over Shs 1.5 million.”
Police also revealed that Matwa has a history of burglary and theft in Lower Kazinga. He is currently detained at Kiwatule police station and awaits arraignment in court. Onyango has urged other victims to come forward with any information that could aid in Matwa’s prosecution.
His arrest comes amid an intensified crackdown on urban crime by the Directorate of Crime Intelligence (DCI), following the robbery of a Scottish national who lost a smartphone worth Shs 7 million.
Using CCTV footage, police recently arrested another suspect, only identified as Kirengwe, who has since named six accomplices. Among those still being hunted by the DCI are suspects known as Kitto, Santosi, Ali, and Segawa.
