Court Remands five police officers, three private security guards over Theft of Seven Laptops at Bank of Uganda
By Our Reporter
At least five police officers attached to Directorate of Counter Terrorism Tactical Unit and three private security guards have been charged and remanded to Luzira Prison over the break-in at the Bank of Uganda headquarters in Kampala city.
The suspects appeared before Buganda Road court grade one magistrate, Rophine Achayo on Monday and were charged with neglect to prevent a felony under section 362 of the Panel Code Act and remanded till May 29.
The accused include Sgt Joseph Amone, Police Constable (PC) Wilson Ouma, PC Thomas Omach, PC Shafic Mungusho, and PC Brian Oryono, from Directorate of Counter Terrorism Tactical Unit and residents of Naguru police barracks in Nakawa Division.
Others are Alex Onduri and Solomon Orach, 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.
Prosecution alleges that on May 4, 2026, at the Bank of Uganda headquarters, 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 for an adjournment. The magistrate informed the accused of their 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 an adjournment of the case to May 29, 2026, for mention and possible bail application.
The central bank said the intrusion is believed to have occurred overnight, with seven laptops reportedly stolen during the raid. Investigators suspect the perpetrators may have spent nearly 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 growing list of financial and security breaches that have recently rocked the Bank of Uganda.
In 2024, fraudsters diverted over UGX 60 billion (approximately $14–16 million) in debt-servicing payments meant for the World Bank and the African Development Bank to private accounts in London and Tokyo.
Investigations revealed that the fraud was not a direct cyberattack on the central bank but rather an inside job involving manipulation of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) at the Ministry of Finance.
By February 2025, eight officials—including the Accountant General and senior IT personnel—had been charged with multiple offenses such as corruption, money laundering, and causing financial loss. By March 2026, at least 21 individuals had been questioned in connection with the case.
Authorities have since recovered over $8 million from funds sent to London, though efforts to trace money transferred to Tokyo and other locations in Asia are ongoing.
The case is currently before the Anti-Corruption Court, with investigations pointing to possible international coordination and internal collusion.
