Cases of soldiers and security personnel getting involved in illegal activities have become common
The police have arrested a Uganda People’s Defence Forces deputy division commander and his guards on allegations of armed robbery and abduction of a gold dealer in Mubende District.
A source said the colonel and his guards were intercepted by Wamala Region police officers on the Mityana-Mubende road as they drove off a gold dealer they had abducted.
Senior police officers at both the police headquarters and at Wamala Police Region confirmed the arrest of the colonel and his bodyguards, but did not give any details.
“They were arrested and we have handed them over to the UPDF. You should talk to the UPDF for details,” a senior police officer said on June 8.
The colonel was reportedly critical in Operation Shujaa that sought to pacify eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye, the Director of Defence Public Information, declined to comment, saying he had not settled in office. He referred the publication to Col Chris Magezi, who in turn said he had already handed over the office to Maj Gen Kulayigye.
Sources said the colonel and his guards drove to the scene to raid the victims whom they suspected to be holding gold and money.
However, they arrived at the scene only to discover the victim did not have any gold and money.
The soldier then abducted the target and drove him off as someone tipped off the police, who then swung into action and intercepted the suspects.
Cases of soldiers and security personnel getting involved in illegal gold deals and robbery have become common in Uganda.
Last month, four Flying Squad Unit officers, including a Superintendent of Police, were arrested and arraigned in court on allegations of aggravated robbery of gold and dollars from John Vian Tumukunde at Nakawa in Kampala City on May 9, 2025.
The four officers were remanded to prison.
In July last year, some soldiers were also involved in a robbery of gold that left two people dead in Buddo on Masaka Road.