Uganda Police has confirmed that at least one man was shot at and injured with four other armed thugs on the run after attempting to steal from a fish factory in Kyebando, a Kampala suburb.

The victim identified as John Opiyo was shot in the buttocks by the UPDF officer who was guarding the fish processing factory, although his four other colleagues took off upon the incident happening.

Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson on Monday, during a security briefing in Kampala and said police has already opened up a case file regarding the attempted robbery.

“The UPDF officer whose names we have withheld was on guard at around 1 am when these thugs armed with a panga and a gun broke into the factory. He discharged bullets that hit Opiyo in the buttocks,” ASP Owoyesigyire said.

He added; “His colleagues fled but Opiyo was arrested as he could not run any further. A gun, panga and wire were recovered from the scene. The interrogation will help us get more information about the group but also help us arrest the other suspects currently on the run.”

He hailed the UPDF officer for being alert, leading to the foiling of the attempted robbery but also the arrest of one of the suspects. “We are happy the UPDF officer was alert even at night and he subdued one of the suspects,” Owoyesigyire noted.

He however urged all security personnel on guard, especially at night to always be alert, most especially during this time when robbers target supermarkets and petrol stations where guards are either killed and tied and guns taken.

The incident comes less than a week after Security issued a “shoot to kill” order against any suspected instances of armed robbery in the country, weeks after two separate armed robbery incidents rocked Mukono in a space of three days.