Four remanded over suspected sugarcane theft in Masindi
Farmers have reported consistent losses and have been forced to hire private guards to secure their fields, especially during harvesting seasons.
Masindi: Four individuals have been charged and remanded to Masindi Government Prison in connection with the theft of sugarcane from a contracted farm under Kinyara Sugar Ltd in Bubanda village, Bwijanga sub-county.
The suspects, Julius Tindyebwa, 48, a farm manager, Julius Byaruhanga, 36, a Boda Boda rider, Twaha Wamaani ,41, a driver, and Franko Muzungu, 43, a broker were arrested after police received a tip-off from a contracted out-grower farmer, who reported suspicious activity in her sugarcane field on the night of June 13, 2025.
According to eyewitness accounts and the farmer’s written complaint, a vehicle not belonging to Kinyara Sugar Ltd was seen loading sugarcane from her field during an official harvest. Security personnel and police from Bwijanga Police Post responded swiftly, intercepted the truck, and apprehended the suspects.
Detective ASP Joseph Karwani, the Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Department, confirmed that while investigations into this particular incident have been concluded, further inquiries into a broader sugarcane theft racket are ongoing.
“In line with our mandate of protecting lives and property and maintaining law and order, we shall continue pursuing suspected criminal elements and charging them as required under the law,” said Karwani.
The suspects were arraigned before Grade One Magistrate Fortunate Nyapir on June 18, where they were charged with theft under case number CO-348/2025. The charge sheet indicates that the group allegedly stole sugarcane worth approximately UGX 5 million.
All accused pleaded not guilty and applied for bail. The magistrate ordered them to present suitable sureties and scheduled a ruling on the bail application for Friday, June 20, 2025. In the meantime, the four have been remanded to Masindi Prison.
Sugarcane theft remains a significant concern in Masindi district, where over 80% of residents depend on the crop for their livelihoods.
Farmers have reported consistent losses and have been forced to hire private guards to secure their fields, especially during harvesting seasons.
In March 2024, the Masindi District Council, led by Speaker Moses Kiirya, passed a resolution banning the transport of sugarcane using motorcycles and tricycles (commonly known as “tuku tukus”), arguing that these modes of transport were facilitating theft.
According to farmers, sugar cane brokers and middlemen steal cane from farmers’ gardens often at night and sale the at weigh bridges. Some of the vehicles associated with weigh bridges have been intercepted by security agencies in plantations of Kinyara’s contracted farmers.
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