The Police has on Tuesday revealed that the reported attempted assassination of Principal Judge, His Lordship Dr Flavian Zaija was as a result of an improvised explosive device, planted on the roadside, below the guard rail, at a remote location, in Kalandezi village.
“As you are all aware, the territorial police at Katonga Region and Mpigi, registered an incident of Attempted Murder, against the Principal Judge, His Lordship, Dr. Flavian Zaija, after his convoy was allegedly attacked by suspected gunmen on the 23.04.2022, at around 8:30pm, around Kalandezi village, Buwama in Mpigi district. As a result, a composite tactical team from Counter Terrorism, CMI, Forensics, Crime Intelligence, ISO and operations, visited the scene and condoned it off, for a thorough assessment,”read a statement by police
“We have since established that the attack on the convoy, was instead as a result of an improvised explosive device, planted on the road side, below the guard rail, at a remote location, in Kalandezi village. The task team recovered a variety of IED components that included; shattered detonator parts, pieces of wire, cut pieces of iron bars, shattered aluminum pieces, and metal fragments, all designed to increase the amount of shrapnel propelled by the explosive device. There were no bullets or cartridges at the scene. We are grateful that the Principal Judge and his team were not injured. The vehicle of the Principal Judge and the lead car, had minor damages from the impact of the metallic fragments.”
Police says it is not the first time such an incident is being registered.
The first incident occurred, on the 17.04.2022, at around 9:30pm, when Busasira Alex, while driving in the company of his wife, from Kampala to Kabale in motor vehicle, registration number, UBJ399A, were hit by an IED, which was detonated and metallic shrapnel damaged his vehicle, along the Masaka-Kinoni section at Kyangoma LCI, Nkoni Parish, Kingo Sub-county, Lwengo district. Their vehicle was perforated by metallic pieces, some of which were picked from the body of the motor vehicle. The victims did not stop, despite the tyre burst and drove miles ahead.
Police says there is no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, the nature of the attack, roadside explosives. “In addition, there is no evidence at this stage, to show whether the Principal Judge’s vehicle, was the intended target or a random incident of attack on any government vehicle.”
