Four Police officers accused of gold robbery remanded to Luzira

KAMPALA - Four Police officers were on Friday, May 23, 2025, arraigned in the Kampala-city-based Nakawa lower court over the alleged robbery of gold worth $105,000, which is equivalent to shillings 378 million and cash $1,000 (about shillings 3.6 million).

Nakawa Grade I Magistrate Frank Namanya charged the four with two counts: Aggravated robbery contrary to sections 266 and 267 (1) (b) (2) of the Penal Code Act Cap 128 and conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code Act Cap 128.

The accused are Detective Superintendent of Police James Besigye Kiguuya, 38, No. 55015; Detective Corporal Simon Owona, 36, a police officer, No.64433 Pracid Abdul Mulangira, 33 and No. 67507 detective constable Monday Tibaikuka, 35.

In count one, the four accused and others still at large committed the alleged offences on May 9, 2025, at Solent Avenue, Nakawa Division in Kampala, when they robbed John Vian Tumukunde of his one kilogramme of gold valued at $105,000 and cash to wit $1,000 and at or immediately before or after the time of the said robbery was in possession of deadly weapons to wit a pistol and AK 47 rifle.

On the same day, the four accused and others still at large at Solent Avenue, Nakawa Division in Kampala conspired together to commit a felony to wit aggravated robbery contrary to sections 266 and 267 (b) (2) of the Penal Code Act Cap 128, according to the charge sheet.

Since the offences are capital in nature, the presiding magistrate did not allow them to take plea and immediately remanded them to Luzira Prison up to June 12, 2025.
The prosecution, led by State Attorney Mahatma Odongo, told the court that investigations into the matter were still ongoing. 

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At the time of their arrest, Besigye and his co-accused were allegedly tracking suspects who had reportedly fleeced an Eritrean national only identified as Hanniba, of $500,000 in a bogus gold deal vide case file CRB: 007/2025. (Credit: Stuart Yiga)

Background

At the time of their arrest, Besigye and his co-accused were allegedly tracking suspects who had reportedly fleeced an Eritrean national only identified as Hanniba, of $500,000 in a bogus gold deal vide case file CRB: 007/2025.

They were also investigating another case where a Canadian national identified as William Yousif, a resident of Hilton Gardens in Kamwokya, had been fleeced of $800,000 by the same suspects.

Meanwhile, Robert Rutaro, the lawyer to the accused Police officers, castigated the Uganda Police for looking on while their officers, without any criminal record, are being locked up in what he termed as trumped-up charges.

“In my view, this clearly shows that mafias are fuelling this ‘game’, intending to intimidate the policemen not to poke their noses in the gold-related cases, or are indirectly sending a message to the entire Police force so that when they see or receive any matter in relation to gold, always to turn a blind eye which is very unfortunate,” Rutaro said.