Barricade tape for crime scene (Courtesy)

Police in Uganda are investigating a case in which a South Sudanese businessman was robbed of $10,000 (SSP 10 million) by masked thugs armed with machetes.

Police in the Butalega District east of the country, told Daily Monitor that 35-year-old Emmanuel Okiror, a businessman from Kajo-Keji, was mugged in Butaleja town.

It is said that Okiror, who trades in agricultural produces, had visited Bulateja on August 3, to buy goods after being convinced by his driver that prices were cheaper there.

“When they reached, the victim suggested that since it is late, they needed to get a guest house to sleep, but the suspect insisted that the two would sleep in their home, claiming it was near Butaleja Town Council,” Police Spokesperson Moses Mugwe said, according to Monitor.

The news source did not clarify if the suspect was the trader’s driver or another person.

The story continues that the trader’s companion told the rider to stop, on the pretext of responding to short call, before masked thugs emerged from the bush.

“The boda boda rider carried both of them, but when they reached the crime scene, the suspect instructed the rider to stop alleging that he wanted to have a short call. Shortly after, five men appeared wearing facemasks and three of them armed with knives.”

“They pulled the victim off the motorcycle and ordered him to sit down, give them his national ID, 37 million Shillings which was in his laptop backpack,” Mugwe narrated.

Businessman Okiror was later drugged to unconsciousness and left in the bush for the whole night.

He was later taken to a local health facility where he received first aid and medical examination before reporting the case.