The police have made a breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of SC Villa captain David Owori after tracking his stolen iPhone 14 Pro Max, leading to the arrest of two suspects.The suspects have been identified as Bashir Munyaneza, alias “Jemo”, a suspected dealer in stolen mobile phones, and his associate, Samuel Magoba. The two are in police custody and are assisting investigators to identify other people allegedly linked to Owori’s murder and a wider network involved in robberies in Kampala and other parts of the country.According to police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke, subsequent operations led to the recovery of four bags containing assorted electronic devices believed to have been stolen.The recovered items include 80 iPhones, 40 Samsung phones, eight Redmi phones, two Tecno phones, two Infinix phones, two Vivo phones and three button phones.Police also recovered four phone motherboards, three iPads and SIM cards from MTN, Safaricom, Airtel and Lyca networks. Other items included ladies’ bags containing identification documents, phone covers and hard drives.“Other items recovered include ladies’ bags with identification documents, phone covers, and hard drives. Investigations are ongoing to establish the full network behind the operation and to link the exhibits to other reported cases of robbery and theft in Kampala and surrounding areas,” Rusoke said.Police have urged members of the public who recently lost phones or other valuables to visit designated police stations to identify the recovered property.Owori’s murderOwori, 26, was attacked on Tuesday at about 8 pm while returning home from training along Nalinya-Mpologoma Road in Dubai Zone, Makindye, a Kampala suburb.The attackers, who were reportedly riding on a motorcycle, allegedly struck him with paving stones before stealing his iPhone, another phone and money. They fled, leaving Owori unconscious in a drainage channel.He was rushed to Sir Albert Cook Hospital for emergency treatment before being referred to Case Hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He died from his injuries on Wednesday morning.Owori was a key defender and captain of SC Villa, one of Uganda’s most decorated football clubs. He had also been part of the national team setup and was summoned to the Uganda Cranes squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign.He was widely tipped to earn more senior international caps. Owori was buried in Tororo district on Saturday.Wider security concernsThe arrests have provided a significant breakthrough in a case that has renewed concerns about violent street robberies in Kampala and its suburbs, particularly attacks involving motorcycle-riding assailants.Residents in the area where Owori was attacked said similar incidents had previously been reported and called for increased police patrols and improved street lighting. The case has also added to renewed calls for stronger security measures in the city.While addressing the NRM Parliamentary Caucus at Speke Resort Munyonyo on Friday, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni called for strengthened security efforts and directed investigations into whether some attacks could be linked to corruption or negligence among police officers failing to perform their duties.Police said investigations into Owori’s murder and the recovered exhibits are continuing as detectives work to establish the full network behind the attacks and determine whether the suspects are connected to other robbery cases.Members of the public who have lost phones or other valuables have been urged to report to designated police stations to help investigators identify the recovered property.The post Police trace murdered SC Villa captain Owori’s stolen iPhone, arrest two suspects appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.