The Police have recovered a total of 218 bags of coffee that is said to be part of the 21,600 kgs of coffee beans that were stolen while in transit.
According to the police, the bags were found on Thursday by a team of Police Officers from Kawempe Police Station, from the garage of one Steven Bukenya’s home in Sanga-Matugga, Wakiso district in the presence of his wife, Mariam Nankinga.
This operation was the culmination of an investigation that began on November 29, 2024, when a case of stealing goods in transit was reported at Kawempe Police Station.
The investigation revealed that a truck carrying 21,600 kg of coffee beans, valued at 470 million shillings was diverted from its original route from Kasese to an ICD in Nakawa for export.
The truck, with registration number UBE 355V, was diverted from Kawempe-Bwaise, and the coffee was offloaded into other trucks and transported to Luzira.
The coffee was later rejected and collected by Juma Musisi, also known as Young Mandela alias Masape, in motor vehicles with registration numbers UBD 151S and UAM 076N.
Five individuals were arrested and charged with stealing goods in transit, while efforts are underway to apprehend and charge the remaining suspects, including Allan Asiimwe, Kato Kiggundu, Joab Mucunguzi, and Saidi Kasule, alias Bogere.
Juma Musisi was arrested and appeared in Chief Magistrates court Nabweru, but before he could be released on bail, he escaped from custody and his on the run.
Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson says that they interviewed Nankinga who informed the officers that the suspects rented her garage in December 2024 and stored the coffee there, paying Shs 200,000 as rent for a month.
He adds that the recovered coffee is the property of Agrievorve Uganda Limited; a company owned by Jonathan Rouland, the complainant in this matter and was exhibited and transported to Kawempe Police Station, where it is being guarded pending weighing and advice from the State Attorney on the next course of action.
By Ben Musanje
17 Nov 2024
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