Police Commander Arrested for Shooting UCU Student in Mukono

The Commander of the Mukono Counter-Terrorism Police, Dismas Tebangole, has been arrested following the shooting and injury of a student from Uganda Christian University on Saturday morning.

The suspect, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Tebangole, 57, is accused of shooting 21-year-old Natasha Nagayi in Nabuti village, Mukono Central Division.

Tebangole allegedly confessed to shooting the victim, who attempted to gain entry into his house during the early hours of the morning.

According to Luke Owoyesigyire the deputy PRO KMP, Tebangole stated, “I heard someone attempting to open my main door using a key. I peeped through the window glass and saw a person opening my door with a key. I wasn’t expecting anyone. I became suspicious and discharged three bullets through the window glass.”

Nagayi suffered an injury to her right chest, near the lower armpit, and fell to the ground, crying out for help while insisting that she was not a thief.

Witnesses told police officers who responded to the scene, that the victim identified herself as the girlfriend of Ashiraf Bandishe, another tenant residing in the same block as Tebangole.

Bandishe confirmed to onlookers that he had given his house keys to Nagayi so she could rest. Tragically, Nagayi mistakenly tried to open Tebangole’s door instead of the neighboring one where Bandishe lived.

Hanington Ssengendo, the caretaker of the residence, and other concerned neighbors responded to the scene and called officers from Mukono Central Police station who upon arriving at the scene, recovered a pistol with 12 live rounds of ammunition from Tebangole.

The suspect was taken into custody for further questioning and investigation.

Owoyesigyire, the deputy spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan Police, explained, “We have been told that she mistakenly attempted to open the suspect’s room, which is opposite Ashiraf’s room, leading to the unfortunate shooting incident. To preserve the integrity of the crime scene, initial steps were taken by the first responders. A pistol with 12 rounds of live ammunition was recovered from the suspect by the response police team.”

Nagayi was rushed to Kawolo Hospital in critical condition.