The Kampala Metropolitan Police in Uganda is hunting city socialite Charles Olim, also known as Sipapa, over his alleged involvement in a robbery in which USD 429,000 was stolen from the home of a South Sudanese on the night of 28 August.
Kampala Metropolitan Area deputy Police spokesperson and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Luke Owoyesigyire, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that a South Sudanese national called Jacob Arok who is a resident of Bunga in Kampala was robbed on the night of August 28, 2022, when unknown men broke into his home after applying suspected chloroform to the occupants.
“We started an investigation on the matter where one victim, a South Sudanese national came and informed us that about USD 429,000, 4 iPhones, two apple laptops, and a Samsung television among other items had been stolen from his house in Bunga,” he explained. “The gentleman is called Jacob Arok. So, we started an investigation and luckily iCloud signals came up and led us to the home of a suspect called Olim”
“We went to his house in Kiira where we recovered all these items and USD 70,000,” he added.
Owoyesigyire said the police arrested some people but the main suspect Olim is still at large.
“We are tracing for him and also plan to recover the rest of the money because we only recovered 70,000 out of USD 429,000,” he said. “We arrested his wife and some of their workers.”
Meanwhile, Uganda Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga, told a media briefing on Monday that when the South Sudan national reported the matter to the police, detectives tracked one of the phones stolen, and following this lead, the signal led them to a home in Buwaate, in Wakiso district.
“The thugs ransacked the home and stole cash amounting to $429000(Shs1.6billion), four iPhones, apple laptops, a Dell laptop, gold jewelry for the wife, and a 65-inch Samsung tv among others. Our detectives tracked down an iCloud from one of the phones stolen from the home and led them to a location in Kityo close in Buwaate in Kira division,” he said. “When we interviewed the occupants, they said the house belongs to Sipapa whom we didn’t find at home but had traveled to Tororo.”
Enanga said a search in the home in the presence of Shamilah Nakiyimba, the wife of Olim, led to the recovery of several items stolen from the South Sudan national including $70,000, four iPhones, three laptops, gold jewelry, and an iPhone charger MacBook pro charger.
“We also recovered two number plates UBG 025B and UBA 023U, an assortment of car accessories including amplifiers, six tool boxes, four sport rims, rear car seat, 12 headlight indicators, Jeep bumper, V8 bumper, rear boot, three radiators, three rear shutters, boot doors and two cars resprayed from the original red color including a Jeep and an Audi without registration numbers,” Enanga said.
He added that four suspects including the wife are currently in custody as the hunt for others is on.
“Shamillah Nakiyimba had tried to conceal the $70,000 and jewelry in shoes,” he said.
The police spokesperson said since the hunt started, Olim has not resurfaced at the home, noting that having been forced to surrender his armed guards, he is now moving with bouncers to protect him.
“A serious manhunt for Sipapa (Olim) who is urgently needed is ongoing whose last appearance was in Nagongera in Tororo where he was seen dishing out cash to members of the public,” he added. “We are appealing for information from anyone on the whereabouts of Sipapa or the alleged aggravated robbery. We know he is aware of our hunt and is invasive.”
The development comes after Olim was seen donating food items to several villages in Tororo over the weekend.