Bank of Uganda Robbery Trial: Laptops Presented as Evidence

A banking officer at the Bank of Uganda (BoU) recounted her discovery of a ransacked office and missing equipment upon returning to work after a weekend break. Tracy Murungi Amugine testified as the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of eight security personnel accused of neglecting their duty to prevent a felony.

Ms. Amugine arrived at the BoU premises on May 4 to find signs of a break-in, including mud footprints and dislodged window louvres. She reported that her office cabin was obstructed by a chair, and upon entering, she noticed her laptop and her manager’s laptop were missing. She noted that her grey Lenovo ThinkPad was among the items stolen.

During the court proceedings, Chief State Attorney Joan Keko presented seven laptops as evidence. Ms. Amugine was asked to identify her stolen laptop but could not definitively pick it out from the presented items, though she stated she believed she could recognize it by its appearance. She confirmed under cross-examination that security personnel were deployed and CCTV cameras were in place, but she had not personally reviewed the footage.

Earlier, Assistant Inspector of Police George Wamala, who was deployed at the bank, testified about arriving at the scene and observing muddy footprints, scattered laptop bags, and a laptop in the corridor. He reported the incident to the police for further investigation. He stated he was not aware of which specific gadgets were stolen at the time of his arrival or who was on duty during the break-in.

The prosecution alleges that the eight accused security personnel failed to take reasonable measures to prevent the office breaking and theft. The trial was adjourned to September 1 for further hearing.

This case is being heard at the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)