Munuki residents burst armed robbers
Residents of Munuki residential area busted a group of suspected armed robbers on Tuesday beating them to hospital level.
The suspected thieves shot at the residents who were pursuing them and kept splashing thousands of US dollars to the people to give way as they attempted to escape.
The fugitives drove into Munuki residential area in a Toyota Harrier car from the direction of Souk Melishia, a market in Munuki, but got stuck when they drove to a dead end. The three armed men abandoned their car at the Munuki stream, commonly known as Kor Mangat, and took to their heels with some unknown amount of money in US dollars’ currency.
Dozens of motor bike taxis known as boda boda riders and young men and women chased the suspects on foot down the Mangat river and apprehended one of them by the stream.
Florence Semira, one of the residents says the suspected thieves shot at the residents who were pursuing them, and kept throwing money to distract people from pursuing them but the residents kept chasing after them.
“These thieves were being pursued from far, they were about to be caught but they kept throwing money so that people could stop to collect the money as they escaped.”
“Some people were collecting the US dollars but others kept running after them. They ran up to Munuki river and when they tried to turn they got busted at the Munuki river because there was no way there.” Semira says.
The robbers stopped, left their car and ran on foot by the river bank but the residents, ostly young boys and girls caught up with them by the stream as they looked tired and exhausted.
“They had a lot of money, US Dollars, and no one knows where they stole it from.” She added.
A five-year old girl whose name is withheld because she’s a minor says she was playing with other children in the area when she heard and saw the suspected thieves driving towards them at a high speed.
“We were playing outside the fence then we saw a car speeding towards us and some boda boda cyclists chasing after them shouting thieves, thieves but he drove off and they never got him.” She tells The Insider.
“They drove via here and turned towards the river then he splashed money and fired gunshots. One of the men said, “Let the people leave the money and keep pursuing the thieves.” She added.
One other resident who asked to be identified only as Rizik for fear of being identified by the suspected criminals said he was taken by surprise when he heard gunshots and saw people running in all directions.
“The gunshots started from that side of Souk Melishia. I heard the gunshots but I did not pay much attention because I did not know what was going on. Just a few moments later I saw people running anyhow and also the gunshots were getting closer. The man kept running while shooting the gun until they passed through the river up to the tarmacked Gudele road.”
The residents managed to catch two of the fugitives and the police arrested the other one who had escaped. Police say all three suspects have been arrested and are being interrogated.
The South Sudan National Police Service spokesperson, Major General Daniel Justine says the criminals are under medication after sustaining severe injuries after they were beaten by the public. Justine says police are investigating the case.
“Yesterday in the afternoon in the Munuki area, we received a report that some people involved in a criminal case were arrested by the public and some of them were beaten and injured. We came in as the police and took the injured and they are receiving treatment in the hospital.
The police say no one has reported a robbery since then.
When the residents and the police searched the Toyota car the suspects had abandoned by the river, they found some polythene bags and a computer bag containing documents and a laptop computer, and seven different vehicle numbers plate.
“We saw some money and the case was opened but we are still gathering more information about the case.” Maj. Gen. Justine said.
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