Mukono, (UG):- A senior police officer and three other suspects have been charged and sent to Kauga Prison in Mukono District on remand over the theft of coffee beans worth Shs 383 million.
The officer identified as Ali Katende attached to Katwe Police Station alongside two Kenyan nationals David Kihara Muthoni and Samuel Njeru Maina, and Juma Musisi are accused of stealing 21,600kg coffee beans when they diverted a truck carrying the sacks from its original route on the Kampala-Jinja highway to Kyetume along the Mukono-Katosi Road.
“The coffee was then offloaded into another truck registration number UAK 416C which fled the scene,” Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango said Thursday. This, according to Onyango authorities happened between July 3 and 4, 2024.
“We have reason to believe that the stolen coffee was taken to a coffee factory linked to an Asian businessman, where it was allegedly exported to India,” he added.
Further investigation revealed that the stolen coffee was transported to the coffee factory using a Mercedes Benz box body. Whereas police initially impounded the Kenyan truck and the Mercedes Benz box body, the Mercedes Benz truck mysteriously disappeared from the police station parking lot raising further questions.
READ: Four including police officer arrested over theft of coffee beans worth Shs380m
Onyango emphasised that the Uganda Police Force does not tolerate criminal behaviour and any officer found guilty of wrongdoing will be held accountable. “The actions of the officer involved in this case do not reflect the values of the Uganda Police Force, which remains committed to protecting and serving the community,” he said.
Upon arrest, the trio appeared before Mukono Chief Magistrate’s Court presided over by Rehema Nassozi Ssebbowa who remanded the suspects until January 13, 2025.
Other suspects, including Kenyan truck driver Njeru, Lameck Walakira, and Kigunddu, were arrested and led the investigating team to the coffee factory. Closed-circuit television footage revealed a convoy of five vehicles linked to the crime, including a police patrol car.
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