Ugandan police have confirmed that two firearms used in a violent robbery in Masaka City were originally assigned to the Directorate of Counter Terrorism. The weapons were reportedly stolen from a senior government official’s residence by police guards, leading to a robbery that left one suspect dead and sparked renewed concerns about firearm safety within the force.
The robbery took place last week in Kifuta Village, Kabira Sub-county, Kyotera District. According to police, armed assailants ambushed and robbed the 40-year-old manager of Mazima Bugaga Coffee Factory, making off with UGX 50 million.
Speaking to the media on 28 July, police spokesperson Mr Kituuma Rusoke revealed that the weapons had been taken from the home of a Petroleum Authority director in Naguru, Kampala, where they were left unattended by the assigned officers.
“The officers left the firearms unsecured and later found them missing,” Mr Kituuma said.
Following a tip-off, security forces tracked down the suspects to Kizigo Village in Kyannamukkaka Sub-county, Masaka District. During the operation, one of the suspects, Lawrence Ssenuumu—believed to have been in possession of the stolen money—was shot and killed. A motorcycle allegedly used by the group in a series of regional robberies was also recovered.
The police officers who lost the firearms have since been arrested and remanded to Luzira Prison. Mr Kituuma confirmed they have been charged for negligence leading to the loss of government-issued weapons.
“When an officer loses a firearm, we scrutinise the circumstances. If their explanation is not convincing, we proceed with charges,” he said.
In response to the incident, the police have made internal transfers to rotate personnel and tighten control measures. The force has come under increasing scrutiny over recurring cases of firearm theft, with past crime reports highlighting weapons stolen from police posts or through individual carelessness.
