The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has remanded eight people, including Counter Terrorism Police officers and private security guards attached to the security detail at the Bank of Uganda, on charges of neglect to prevent a felony in connection with an alleged office break-in and theft at the central bank headquarters. The accused are Sergeant Joseph Amone, Police Constable Wilson Ouma, Police Constable Thomas Omach, Police Constable Shafic Mungusho, and Police Constable Brian Oryono, all attached to the Directorate of Counter Terrorism Tactical Unit and residents of Naguru Police Barracks in Nakawa Division.
Others are Alex Onduri and Solomon Orache, both security guards employed by Ultimate Security Limited and residents of Nsambya Zone in Makindye Division, as well as Morish Ocen, a security guard attached to Saracen Uganda Limited. The accused appeared before Grade One Magistrate Rophine Achayo, who charged them with one count of neglect to prevent a felony contrary to Section 362 of the Penal Code Act.
Prosecution alleges that on May 4, 2026, at the Bank of Uganda headquarters in Kampala Central Division, the accused, knowing that unknown persons were committing a felony involving office breaking and theft, failed to use reasonable means to prevent the commission of the crime. The accused denied the charges. State Attorney Allan Mucunguzi told the court that investigations into the matter are still ongoing and requested an adjournment. The magistrate informed the accused that they had a right to apply for bail.
However, the court heard that their documents had not yet been uploaded onto the Electronic Court Case Management Information System, prompting adjournment of the case to May 29, 2026, for mention and possible bail application. Trouble for the accused reportedly began after the break-in was discovered on May 4, 2026, when the Bank of Uganda confirmed a security breach at its headquarters on Plot 45 Kampala Road near City Square. The central bank said the intrusion is believed to have occurred overnight and that seven laptops were reportedly stolen during the raid.
Investigators suspect the perpetrators may have spent close to three hours inside the premises without detection, fueling speculation that the operation could have involved insider assistance. Following the incident, joint security agencies sealed off several arcades in downtown Kampala in search of shops suspected of dealing in stolen phones and laptops.
The operation targeted City House, Kalungi Plaza, and Mutaasa Kafeero on William Street. At least 20 people were reportedly arrested during the operation and detained at Central Police Station as investigations continue. The latest incident adds to a series of financial and security breaches that have recently hit the Bank of Uganda.
In September 2024, approximately 17 million US dollars, equivalent to about 60 billion shillings, reportedly disappeared from the central bank and was later traced to foreign accounts in the United Kingdom and Japan. Following that case, at least nine officials from the Bank of Uganda, the Ministry of Finance, and the Accountant General’s Office were arrested and charged over allegations of orchestrating fraudulent payments to a purported contractor and directing the central bank to release the funds.
The suspects were later committed to the High Court for trial by the Anti-Corruption Court after completion of investigations. Their trial is yet to commence-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
