Archival Sense
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- Dec 16, 2025
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Police have launched a manhunt for a private security guard accused of stealing more than Shs 290 million while on duty at Goldex Global Company offices in Kampala.
Magnum guards on duty. (Image courtesy of The Observer)
The suspect, Justin Akena, who was attached to Magnum Security Company Limited, is alleged to have broken into a vehicle he had been assigned to guard and stolen a bag containing cash and suspected gold before fleeing.
According to Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, the incident occurred over the weekend at the company’s premises on Mawanda Road in Kamwokya. Akena had reportedly been deployed at the facility for some time prior to the theft.
“He allegedly broke into a vehicle he was guarding on Saturday, took Shs 290 million and some gold, and disappeared. Our teams are actively tracking him,” Owoyesigyire said, appealing to members of the public to provide any information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest.
Police, working jointly with the private security firm, have intensified operations to locate and apprehend Akena.
The incident adds to a growing pattern of robberies involving private security guards, particularly those entrusted with protecting cash and high-value goods. In many cases, suspects are eventually traced through personal records or guarantors provided during recruitment, though some manage to evade capture.
Recent incidents highlight the scale of the problem. In November 2024, two guards attached to G4S were arrested in connection with the theft of more than Shs 1 billion from a bullion van along Entebbe Road. The suspects abandoned the vehicle in Lungujja before being tracked and apprehended in Kwania District.
In another case, Abraham Opedun, a guard with Safetec Security Company Ltd, was implicated in a 2025 arson and theft at Snail Forex Bureau in Arua Park, Kampala, where approximately Shs 15.2 million was stolen.
Industry experts say such incidents are often linked to systemic challenges within the private security sector. According to the Private Security Association, factors such as low pay, delayed wages, inadequate training, and the recruitment of personnel from uncertified firms as a cost-cutting measure continue to create vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
Source - The Observer
Magnum guards on duty. (Image courtesy of The Observer)
The suspect, Justin Akena, who was attached to Magnum Security Company Limited, is alleged to have broken into a vehicle he had been assigned to guard and stolen a bag containing cash and suspected gold before fleeing.
According to Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, the incident occurred over the weekend at the company’s premises on Mawanda Road in Kamwokya. Akena had reportedly been deployed at the facility for some time prior to the theft.
“He allegedly broke into a vehicle he was guarding on Saturday, took Shs 290 million and some gold, and disappeared. Our teams are actively tracking him,” Owoyesigyire said, appealing to members of the public to provide any information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest.
Police, working jointly with the private security firm, have intensified operations to locate and apprehend Akena.
The incident adds to a growing pattern of robberies involving private security guards, particularly those entrusted with protecting cash and high-value goods. In many cases, suspects are eventually traced through personal records or guarantors provided during recruitment, though some manage to evade capture.
Recent incidents highlight the scale of the problem. In November 2024, two guards attached to G4S were arrested in connection with the theft of more than Shs 1 billion from a bullion van along Entebbe Road. The suspects abandoned the vehicle in Lungujja before being tracked and apprehended in Kwania District.
In another case, Abraham Opedun, a guard with Safetec Security Company Ltd, was implicated in a 2025 arson and theft at Snail Forex Bureau in Arua Park, Kampala, where approximately Shs 15.2 million was stolen.
Industry experts say such incidents are often linked to systemic challenges within the private security sector. According to the Private Security Association, factors such as low pay, delayed wages, inadequate training, and the recruitment of personnel from uncertified firms as a cost-cutting measure continue to create vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
Source - The Observer