Authorities in Kyotera District are investigating a robbery in which a mobile money agent was held at gunpoint and robbed of Shs 150 million while narrowly escaping gunfire.
The incident occurred on Monday, October 7, around midday during a heavy rainstorm. The shop owner, Stella Nabitosi, described the assailant as well-prepared, dressed in a long black jacket and a mask that concealed his face.
The gunman ordered everyone inside the shop to lie down before smashing the glass partition separating the two rooms. He then moved into the second room, stealing money from the safe and gathering additional cash.
Approximately Shs 150 million was reported missing. Nabitosi was about to bank the money before the robbery occurred, and she expressed that the traumatic experience would haunt her for months.
Eyewitnesses, including a boda boda rider, noted that the attacker moved swiftly and confidently, meeting his accomplices outside the shop. Many bystanders refrained from confronting him due to the presence of a firearm, opting instead to wait for the police.
Southern Region Police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with key leads including CCTV footage and part of the gun’s magazine left at the scene.
The survivor is the daughter of prominent Kyotera coffee trader Godfrey Kimbowa. This incident marks the sixth armed attack on traders in Kyotera in the past seven years. Police are currently compiling reports from previous incidents, including one last year in which robbers shot prominent coffee trader John Ddamulira and fled with Shs 93 million. Such incidents continue to pose a threat to the business community in the region.