By Godfrey Muhumuza
Heavily armed police personnel this morning surrounded the residence of Francis Atugonza, the head of the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Royal guards (Abarusura), in Kasasa-Rukooge cell, Hoima West division, Hoima city.
The raid, which occurred at around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, was part of a search for suspected stolen items, including laptops, phones, and clothes reportedly taken from Kyankwanzi district. Atugonza expressed shock at the situation, stating that he had committed no crime.
When he asked the officers why they had raided his home, they informed him that they were searching for stolen goods. However, when he contacted the Hoima police, including the District Police Commander at Hoima city central police station, they said they were unaware of the operation. Atugonza questioned why officers from Kyankwanzi would raid his home without informing local Hoima authorities.
The officers searching were led by Anold Atuheire, a scene of crime officer (SOCO) from Kyankwanzi central police station. Atuheire declined to speak to the media, saying that he was not authorized to do so. Later, Bosco Patrick Obotol, the officer in charge of Hoima West Division Police Station, arrived at the scene and provided a briefing.
He confirmed that the officers were lawfully searching Atugonza’s home in connection with a theft in Kyankwanzi district. Obotol explained that after tracking the suspects for some time, the coordinates led them to Atugonza’s residence. However, the search yielded no results, as none of the stolen items were recovered from Atugonza’s home. Obotol stated that investigations into the matter are ongoing.
