Suspected criminals surrender stolen gun, guards arrested

Mr Rogers Kapere, the Mayuge District Police Commander displays to reporters the recovered gun. Photo by Yazid Yolisigira

MAYUGE- Police in Mayuge District in eastern Uganda are holding three private security guards over negligence after a gun allegedly disappeared under unclear circumstances.
The suspects (named withheld) attached to Jag Security Group were using the AK-47 to guard Microfin offices, a financial institution in Mayuge Town at the weekend.

Mr Rogers Kapere, the Mayuge District Police Commander, told Daily Monitor on Tuesday that upon arrest, two of the guards claimed that they hid the gun in a pit latrine and went for supper but when they returned, it was nowhere to be seen.
He also explained that after interrogating the trio for several hours and conducting searches on Monday night, unknown people returned the gun and dropped it at Microfin premises.
Police authorities are hunting for the people who returned the gun.
"The gun was dropped at the offices and we are looking for the person who could have sneaked and returned it with nine rounds of ammunition,” Mr Kapere said.

Mr Kapere suspects the guards had connived to steal the gun and use it for undisclosed activities.
“We are charging the three with loss of the gun. They neglected the weapon which they were meant to use to guard the premises,” Mr Kapere said, adding that preliminary investigations show that the guards did not receive enough training.

"They admitted that they were trained for only one week and given the gun,” Mr Kapere said. The suspects remain in custody at Mayuge Police Station.