Acting on solid intelligence, detectives from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) and the Operation Action Team (OAT) have arrested three suspects linked to a chilling incident of robbery with violence and gang rape in Butere.

On the night of January 28, 2026, the hoodlums slithered into a local shop in Butere like snakes in the grass under the cover of darkness, their intentions as sinister as their method of entry. What followed was not just a robbery, it was an act of cruelty that left a lasting scar.

After breaking in, the trio attacked the shopkeeper, subjecting her to a gang rape before fleeing into the night.

They made off with goods valued at approximately Sh200,000, along with an undisclosed amount of cash from the day’s sales, leaving behind devastation, fear, and anguish.

Determined to bring the perpetrators to justice, detectives launched a swift and targeted manhunt.

Their efforts led them to Mabungo village, where two suspects, Benard Yaya Anaswa and Kelvin Omutanyi Zablon, were cornered and arrested.

Under interrogation, they led officers to Shirota village, where their alleged accomplice, Peter Osumba Omusinde, was also apprehended.

The dragnet widened further to Sabatia Market, where detectives arrested Johnstone Songa Maube, suspected of being a receiver of the stolen items.

Recovered from him was a stash of assorted mobile phones believed to be part of the stolen loot.

The suspects remain in custody as they undergo processing ahead of arraignment. Meanwhile, recovered items are being detained as exhibits.