A married couple in Bugembe Ward, Jinja City, is counting losses after armed robbers stormed their home and robbed them of more than Shs20 million, multiple phones, electronics, and a vehicle during a late-night attack on June 13, 2026. Betty Kigayi and her husband, Fred Kakooza, who operate a molasses business across Eastern Uganda, say the incident occurred shortly after they returned home at around 10:20 pm.
Kigayi said the couple had just finished counting the day’s sales when she stepped outside for a shower, unaware that armed men were already inside their compound. She said she later heard suspicious movement but proceeded to finish bathing before heading back to the house, where she was confronted at gunpoint.
“I was heavily fatigued after the day’s work,” Kigayi said, adding that an armed man blocked her near the stairs and forced her to open the house. She said the attackers, one armed with what appeared to be a black gun and accompanied by three others, forced their way into the house and began searching the premises while she was held at gunpoint.
Kigayi said she attempted to scream for help but was beaten into submission as neighbours appeared to be within hearing distance. Her husband, who was inside the living room, also tried to raise an alarm but had his phone immediately confiscated. The attackers reportedly ordered Kigayi to lie on the ground as their daughter watched helplessly. The couple says the assailants stole Shs9.8 million that had been placed in a bag and later recovered an additional Shs11 million hidden in the house as business working capital. Kakooza said he was also robbed of an unspecified amount of cash from his pockets after being assaulted during the raid.
The attackers further took six mobile phones and a smart television before packaging the stolen items into plastic bags. They later demanded the keys to the couple’s Toyota Harrier, registration number UA 503 EK, before fleeing the scene. The couple says they have since been left traumatized and are living in fear, calling on police to expedite investigations and bring the suspects to justice.
School Zone Village LC1 Chairperson Amuza Wambuzi said the community has been shaken by the attack, noting that the area has seen a rise in petty and violent crime. He said that although security operations in the post-COVID-19 period had previously reduced crime levels, cases of phone snatching, pickpocketing, and assault have recently increased. “There is a need for intensified patrols in the area,” Wambuzi said.
Kiira Regional Police Spokesperson James Mubi said the stolen vehicle was later recovered using GPS tracking technology from a private parking yard in Jinja City. He said investigations are ongoing to identify the suspects, determine their motive, and establish whether there are accomplices linked to the robbery-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
