A car washer in Kamwokya,Ronald Tugeine alias Kanaabe in Kamwokya is battling accusations of stealing his client's vehicle, a Toyota Mark X registration number UBG 116D.

Tugaine works at a washing bay opposite Acacia Place on John Babiiha Avenue. He is accused of having stolen the vehicle of his client of more than 4 years, Henry Kata, an advocate with Acadia Advocates at Acacia Place on February 27, 2020.

Tom Opakasi, an eyewitness and security guard with G4 Security, which guards Acacia Place, told City Hall magistrate Valerian Tuhimbise early this week that Tugeine approached him on February 26, 2020, at around 7 pm and informed that Kata had asked him to take the car for washing just like it had been in the past.

Opakasi asked the suspect to first call Kata.

"He made a call and spoke to someone and then told me that Henry said that he should pick the car in the morning," narrated Opakisi.

He explained that Tugaine returned the following morning at around 6:30 am and picked the car that was parked in basement one. According to Opakasi, he informed Kata around 7 am that the person he had asked to pick up the vehicle had taken it.

"I told him the person you sent to come and pick your car yesterday has come and picked the car. And then he (Henry Kata) said, but I have my keys," narrated Opakisi.

It is then, that the two learnt that the car had been stolen. Opakisis description of the person who took the car fitted that of Tugaine. Kata reported the matter to Kira Road police station where Opakasi was asked to make a statement.

He was detained and released on police bond two days later. Kata says police reviewed footage from CCTV cameras at Acacia Place and on the streets. Footage from Acacia Place showed Tugeine walk swiftly towards the car and drive off. Police cameras also spotted the car in Kyengera at 6:55 am on the same day.

"At first I couldn't believe he was the person who had taken my car...he was my trusted car washer," Kata said.

He then went to the washing bay to talk to Tugeine's colleagues. He was told that Tugaine had landed into trouble with traffic police in Mpigi for driving without a permit. They asked if he could bail him out with Shs 100,000 but when Kata tried contacting the suspect his contacts were off.

He later revealed to Tugaine's colleagues what had happened. They told him that Tugaine had spent the night of February 26th at the bay and left at around 4 am.

"It's like he had spent the whole night planning," Kata said.

Kata says that police then told him they would pitch camp in Mbarara that evening. On February 29, Kata received a call from police indicating that Tugaine had been arrested with his vehicle in Kabale and transferred to Kira Road police station. According to Kata, he recovered his car intact except for a dent at the front bumper.He reportedly asked the suspect why he had taken his car.

He told me that the devil had tempted him. He said the temptation was caused by the very many needs he had at home," narrated Kata.

Detective Albert Tumuhaire from Nsoba police post, which is under Kira Road police station, who recorded Tugaines charge sheet and caution statement told court that the accused was brought to him by another detective called Bine.He said the suspect confessed to have stolen the vehicle with intentions of selling it.

"He said that when he reached Ntungamo, he wanted to sell the car at Shs 6 million but was called to attend to an emergence in his village home in Kabale. So, instead of selling the car he went home," Tumuhaire told court.

He explained that it is in Kabale where the suspect was arrested. Tumuhairwe also told court that the suspect told him he had duplicated the vehicle keys days before he used them.

Tugaine dismissed the testimony of the last witness but neither denied nor confirmed those of the first two witnesses. Magistrate Tuhimbise remanded the suspect further to Luzira prison until March 17 after denying bail for failing to present substantive sureties.

Continued here:

Car washer confesses to cloning client's key, stealing vehicle - The Observer