Security agencies led by the Directorate of Crime Intelligence’s (DCI) Flying Squad are intensifying efforts to recover a gun mysteriously stolen from the son of a high-ranking army general.
The incident, which occurred near the City Oil petrol station in Kamwokya, Kampala, has raised concerns about security lapses and criminal networks.
The general’s son reportedly placed his firearm inside a laptop bag before stepping out to make a purchase. When he returned, the bag—and the gun—were missing.
Authorities launched an immediate investigation and reviewed CCTV footage from the area, which captured the suspect in action.
Suspect Identified
The footage revealed that the suspect was a well-known local figure—a roadside evangelist and local council vice chairperson named Paul Ssemakula, a resident of Susaana zone in Nakulabye parish.
Security operatives tracked Ssemakula to a shrine in Jjanda village, Nansana municipality, where he was arrested alongside two traditional healers, Muammad Kasozi and Hussein Mpoza.
During questioning, Ssemakula admitted to stealing the bag but claimed his primary interest was the laptop and iPhone it contained.
“I only discovered the gun after taking the items to someone at Mutaasa Kafeero Plaza for sale,” he confessed. Alarmed by the discovery, Ssemakula’s associates reportedly advised him to return the bag to avoid trouble.
Failed Return Attempt
Ssemakula detailed a convoluted attempt to return the bag. He first visited his fiancée’s home in Nakulabye to change clothes, hoping to avoid detection.
While on his way back to the scene of the theft, he encountered an acquaintance, Corporal Isma, who removed the laptop and iPhone but urged him to focus on disposing of the pistol.
Reaching Kamwokya Market near a KCCA public toilet, Ssemakula hesitated to return the bag himself.
Instead, he hired an unidentified man for 50,000 Ugandan shillings to deliver it to a private security guard stationed where the bag had originally been stolen.
However, the plan backfired. The security guard, suspicious of the stranger and the bag, ordered him to leave immediately.
The hired man returned to the drop-off point, but by then, Ssemakula had vanished. Both the gun and the mercenary are now the focus of an intensified manhunt.
Suspect’s Criminal Past
Investigators have revealed that Ssemakula is a repeat offender with a history of theft convictions.
He was recently released from Luzira Prison after serving a sentence for stealing a mobile phone from a bank manager’s office.
He has also been jailed for stealing laptops and smartphones from various locations in Kampala, which he admitted to selling for as little as 200,000 shillings.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke addressed the media, assuring the public that investigations are ongoing.
“We are determined to dismantle the criminal networks responsible for such incidents and ensure the recovery of the stolen firearm,” he said.
The search for the missing gun continues, with authorities determined to close the case and prevent similar security breaches in the future.
