Prisons places sh10m bounty on warder wanted over killing of four

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The Uganda Prisons Services (UPS) on Monday (March 9) placed a sh10m bounty on warder Moses Anguyo, who is suspected of shooting dead four people at Kiboga Prison last month.

Frank Baine, the prisons spokesperson, confirmed the bounty, saying, “The Commissioner General, Uganda Prison Services, has put a bounty of sh10m as a reward to anyone who provides reliable information leading to the arrest of murderer number 13544 warder Moses Anguyo, the prime suspect in the recent fatal shooting at the Kiboga prison, that left four people dead. All information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality.”

Baine said the toll-free numbers to call are 999 for the Uganda Police Force or 0800144144 for UPS. Alternatively, the public can report to the nearest prison service office.

On February 23, 2026, Anguyo reportedly turned his weapon on his supervisors, leaving three people dead. Prisons, in a statement, said it regretted announcing the deaths.

“The deceased are Assistant Superintendent of Prisons Hope Catherine, the Deputy Officer in Charge of Kiboga Prison; Principal Officer I Bright Akishuri, third in command; and Sarah Ayebare, spouse of the Officer-in-Charge (OC),” Baine stated.

The fourth victim, a child belonging to the OC, succumbed to the injuries that same Monday night.

Prisons, in a statement, said the incident occurred at around 10:00 am when warder Anguyo opened fire on his supervisors before fleeing the facility.

Police were immediately called in and secured the scene, while joint security operations are pursuing the suspect, who remains at large and is considered dangerous.

Baine explained that a team had been sent to Kiboga to investigate the matter. Asked how far the search for the main suspect Anguyo had progressed, Baine said, “We have no leads for now but we are following him up. We have shared information about him to all the security agencies and he cannot hide. We shall get him,” he said.

Baine said even though the team sent to Kiboga had not yet returned, “It is true Anguyo was using a phone while on sentry, and that is not allowed. When the officer in charge tried to reprimand him, he overreacted and started shooting. He shot at the deputy and then saw the OC’s car and sporadically opened fire on it without thinking. He also met Akishuri and thought he had come to disarm him and decided to also shoot him before he fled,” Baine said.

Baine urged anyone with valuable information regarding Anguyo’s whereabouts to inform the Police.

According to the 2024 annual police crime report, a total of 188 cases of murder by shooting were reported to the police countrywide in 2024, compared to 300 cases reported in 2023, representing a 37% decrease in reported cases in this category.

Out of the total cases reported, 34 were taken to court, 26 were not proceeded with, while 128 cases are still under inquiry.

A total of 205 persons were shot dead, of whom 178 were male adults, 19 were female adults, seven were male juveniles, and one was a female juvenile.

By the end of 2024, 23 cases of murder by shooting were still pending in court, awaiting trial.

Hope and Akishuri are among the latest warders to be killed under controversial circumstances.

In February last year, a security guard attached to S.W.A.T.T Security Limited fatally shot a prison warder in unclear circumstances in Rukungiri District. The deceased, identified as Number 16448 Lance Corporal Boniface Ojok, 33, an officer attached to Uganda Prisons Rukungiri, was allegedly shot by Peter Byaruhanga, 22, a security guard and resident of Kakabada A Cell, Rukungiri Municipality.

According to Kigezi region police spokesperson Elly Maate, Ojok had gone to Babuuze Bar and Lodge with colleague officer James Otim to watch a football match. After the game, Ojok stepped outside to make a short call.

Shortly afterwards, Otim heard a gunshot and rushed to the scene, finding his colleague lying dead.

The suspect claimed that Ojok attempted to steal a generator, while other accounts suggest the two were involved in an argument that led to the shooting.

Maate said police recovered the gun used, which had three rounds of ammunition.