Prison Attack! Three Warders Injured, Two Guns Stolen From Kyegegwa Facility

By Swift Reporter

Three Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) officers have been injured and two firearms loaded with ammunition stolen after unknown assailants attacked Kyegegwa Government Prison in the early hours of Friday.

The incident occurred at about 1:00 a.m. when the attackers reportedly attempted to break into the prison and attacked officers deployed as night sentries.

UPS spokesperson Frank Baine confirmed the incident, saying no prisoner escaped during the attack.

“At around 1:00 a.m., unknown assailants attempted to break into Kyegegwa Government Prison and attacked three officers deployed for the night shift as sentries,” Baine said.

According to Baine, the attackers made off with two firearms, registered as UG PRI 563615124 and UG Pol 565828358. Each firearm was reportedly loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.

The injured officers were identified as Sergeant Warder Titus Kalisa, Wardress Susan Margaret Nakuya and Joshua Odongo. They were rushed to Kyegegwa General Hospital for medical attention.

Baine said the situation was brought under control and that no inmate managed to escape from the facility.

“No prisoner escaped during the attack. Sister security agencies were immediately called in, and investigations are underway. Efforts to apprehend the assailants and recover the stolen guns are in full gear,” he said.

The incident has triggered a security operation involving sister security agencies as authorities work to establish how the attackers accessed the prison and recover the stolen firearms and ammunition.

UPS has appealed to members of the public with information that could lead to the identification and arrest of the suspects, or recovery of the weapons, to report to the nearest police station or contact its toll-free line on 0800144144.

The Kyegegwa attack adds to a history of security breaches involving correctional facilities in Uganda.

In December 2005, armed assailants attacked Kaberamaido Government Prison in Kaberamaido District, abducting 15 inmates and making away with Shs30,000 and farm tools.

Police later arrested Richard Enyenu, who reportedly confessed to leading the raid, while the prison warden at the facility came under investigation over alleged negligence.

Authorities are now expected to intensify investigations into Friday’s incident as the search for the attackers and the two stolen firearms continues.