By Swift Reporter
Investigations into the daring break-in at the Bank of Uganda (BoU) headquarters in Kampala have intensified, with five police officers arrested and more than 30 laptops recovered from city buildings now undergoing forensic examination.
The officers, who were on duty during the night raid between May 3 and May 4, 2026, are currently detained at Railway Police Station in Kampala as detectives investigate possible collusion and negligence linked to the theft of seven laptops from the central bank’s commercial offices.
Security sources revealed that some of the arrested officers are attached to the Counter-Terrorism Police unit and had been deployed to guard the highly secured premises at the time of the incident.
Investigators suspect that some officers may have abandoned their duty posts or collaborated with the attackers, allowing them access to the premises without detection.
The shocking breach occurred at the Bank of Uganda offices located near City Square along Kampala Road, an area considered one of the most heavily guarded zones in the country.
Preliminary findings indicate that the attackers allegedly accessed the commercial offices through the City Square-facing entrance, possibly using duplicate keys, before spending close to three hours inside the institution undetected.
“Yes, we had a break-in and seven laptops were stolen,” a source at the central bank confirmed earlier.
The incident has triggered a massive joint security operation involving detectives from Central Police Station (CPS) Kampala, the Uganda Police Force, the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS), and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).
As part of the investigation, detectives have recovered at least 30 laptops and several mobile phones from different locations in downtown Kampala. The devices are currently undergoing forensic analysis to determine whether they are connected to the stolen equipment from the central bank.
Security operatives also used police sniffer dogs during the operation, leading investigators to several commercial buildings in the city centre, including Kalungi Plaza, Kirumira Towers, and Mutaasa Kafeero buildings, where some suspects believed to be linked to the stolen electronics were arrested.
Authorities temporarily sealed off parts of the affected premises and surrounding buildings as forensic experts combed the scene for evidence.
Investigators are also examining the phones and communication records of security personnel who were on duty during the raid in an effort to establish possible coordination with the attackers.
Despite the incident, the Bank of Uganda has assured the public that its critical systems and core financial operations were not affected by the break-in.
“The matter is currently under investigation, and the Bank of Uganda is working closely with relevant security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and take appropriate action,” the central bank said in a statement.
BoU further emphasized that all services and operations continue to function normally despite the security scare.
However, the incident has raised fresh concerns over the vulnerability of Uganda’s most sensitive financial institution and how attackers managed to infiltrate and operate inside the heavily protected premises for hours without immediate detection.
Security agencies say investigations are ongoing and more arrests are expected as detectives work to unravel the full network behind the break-in.
WhatsApp/Call: +256 754 137391
