A 21-year-old Uganda Christian University (UCU) student is fighting for her life in hospital after she was shot by a policeman whose house she attempted to open when she mistook it to be her boyfriend’s in the wee hours of Saturday morning.
Natasha Nagayi was allegedly shot by ASP Dismas Tebangole, attached to the Counter Terrorism Police, VIPPU.
The shooting happened at around 1am in Nabuti Village, Mukono Central Division, Mukono Municipality, Mukono District.
It is alleged that at around 4am, ASP Tebangole, 57, noticed someone attempting to open his main door. He peeped through the window glass and saw a person using a key to open the door.
“In a state of suspicion, the officer discharged three live bullets through the window glass, hitting Nagayi Natasha on the right chest, near the lower armpit. Upon being shot, the victim fell to the ground and cried out for help, asserting that she was not a thief. She specifically mentioned the name Bandishe Ashraf, one of the tenants residing in the suspect’s residence. The caretaker of the residence, Ssengendo Hanington, along with other neighbors, responded to the scene. Subsequently, the suspect (police officer) emerged from his residence,” Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesgyire said.
Nagayi was accompanied by her boyfriend, Ashraf Bandishe as they returned from hanging out.
“Ashraf had given her the key to enter the residence and rest while he remained behind. However, she mistakenly attempted to open the officer’s room, which is opposite Ashraf’s room, leading to the unfortunate shooting incident,” ASP Owoyesgyire added.
ASP Tebangole is currently in police custody while Nagayi is hospitalised at Kawolo General Hospital in Buikwe District.
“A pistol with 12 rounds of live ammunition, was recovered from the suspect by the response Police team,” the police publicist said.
Bandishe told this publication that it was Nagayi’s first time to access his residence.
“Yesterday was her first time to stay outside for long. She resides in a university hall which is closed by midnight so she requested my house keys to go and rest since I was still drinking. I directed her and the boda boda guy to the purple apartments but they went to a wrong place,” he said.
