Security guard shoots himself dead

By Donald Kiirya

JINJA - A private security guard attached to Securex Security Company has shot himself dead in Bugembe town council, Jinja district.

James Losike, a 32 year-old resident of Budhumbuli West ward in Bugembe town council did the unthinkable on Tuesday at about 3:30pm.

He reported for duty at 7:00am in the morning at Centenary Bank ATM machine in Bugembe, but it is not yet clear why he decided to end his life.

Abbey Mukwaya, an eyewitness, said that he was with his customers at Air Force Pub located on the same building that houses Centenary Bank ATM machine when he heard a gunshot.

One of his customers peeped in the window while from the first floor of the building and saw a gun in the toilet in the backyard and notified Mukwaya.

Mukwaya, the pub manager immediately rushed towards the toilet and found Losike had shot himself.

“I first removed the gun suspecting that he might shoot me too and handed it over to another security guard who was guarding at National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) offices and then rushed to help Losike,” he said.

He said: “I rushed back but found when he was gasping for breath. I tried to ask him but a lot of blood was oozing from the bullet wound in the chest and in the back.”

Mukwaya added that he pulled Losike out of the toilet but died shortly after.

An SAR gun that was recovered at the scene was handed over to the Officer in Charge of Operations at Jinja Central Police Station, Kefa Mutungha.

Mutungha together with other Policemen carried Losike’s body onto a Pickup truck that took it to Jinja hospital mortuary.

Apollo Kateeba, the outgoing Jinja District Police Commander said that they have launched investigations into the incident.

He added that it was too early for police to ascertain why Losike shot himself.

Some of the security guards of Securex who were at the scene said Losike had worked at the company for close to five months and had no wife.

Ibrahim Kitakule, the LC I chairperson of Budhumbuli West ward in Bugembe town council said that three days ago, residents near Centenary Bank ATM machine where Losike had been guarding had seen him acting 'like as he was running mad.'