Police Officer Who Killed Indian Money Lender Remanded To Luzira Prison
Ivan Wabwire, the police officer who shot dead an Indian money lender last week has been charged with murder and remanded to Luzira government prison.
On Wednesday, Wabwire appeared before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate, Sarah Tusiime who read for him murder charges.
Prosecution led by Joan Keko and Ivan Kyazze told the court that on May 12, 2023, at Raja chambers along parliamentary avenue in the Kampala district, with malice aforethought, Wabwire unlawfully killed Uttam Bhandari Saremal an Indian national.
The police officer was however not allowed to take since the court has no jurisdiction to handle capital offences like the one he is charged with.
The state prosecutors however told that investigations into the matter are not yet complete, adding that they intend to file an application to have the police officer’s mental status checked.
The trial magistrate, Tusiime remanded Ivan Wabwire to Luzira prison until June 7, 2023.
According to the police, investigations, detectives found out that Wabwire had in 2020 taken a shs1 million loan from TFS Financial Services at Raja Chambers along Parliamentary Avenue and was supposed to pay shs320,000 as interest.
However, before he could complete the initial loan, the police constable took another one in 2021 of shs1 million under similar terms and was supposed to pay shs110,000 per month to the money lender.
Police revealed that the actions by Wabwire show he had planned everything leading to the shooting.
“Before the incident, a day earlier, while in civilian clothes he met with Uttam Bhandari to establish his loan status and further discuss plans to trade it off for a salary loan at Stanbic Bank, William Street branch where his salary is posted. There was no agreement between him and the director of TFS. He, therefore, returned on Friday and killed Bhandari,” Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said on Monday this week.
He explained that after firing at the Indian money lender, he returned and found him still breathing before firing additional shots that killed him
“His target was the victim and no one else. He confidently moved out and jumped on boda, returned the gun to the office of the scenes of crime officer and asked him to keep it as he went for a short break.” Enanga added.
He later returned and changed uniform and fled to his home village in Busia from where he was arrested and returned to Kampala.
