IBANDA: Police Arrests Driver for Carrying 35 Students, Jerrycans of Petrol in 14 Seater Taxi

Jerrycans of Petrol were loaded underneath the seats, creating a good ground for a fire outbreak

Police have arrested a driver of a 14 Seater Passenger Taxi carrying 35 students, over ten jerrycans of Petrol, mattresses and boxes in Ibanda.

According to the Traffic Police and Road Safety Spokesperson, the driver of vehicle number UA 667DN was intercepted today, Friday, April 24, 2026 while transporting 35 students aged between 15 and 21 from Ibanda-Kasese loaded dangerously.

He says the driver has been detained at Mbarara CPS and is awaiting court action. Meanwhile, safer & appropriate transport arrangements are being made for the students.

Kananura adds that disturbingly, the vehicle was also carrying jerrycans of petrol, with some students stepping on them while others were positioned on top of the vehicle.

“This created an extremely hazardous situation that could have resulted in a serious fire incident,” says Kananura.

He urges the public to remain vigilant saying people should not wait for enforcement to act because everyone has a responsibility to make safe decisions and prevent such risks before they occur.

The police commends the whistleblower who alerted Police in time, preventing the driver from using shortcut routes to evade enforcement.

“As the holiday season begins and more children travel, all motorists are strongly warned to desist from such traffic violations & others related. We remain vigilant on the roads and strict action will be taken against offenders,” says Kananura.