Thugs steal computers from Kinumi Seed SS, four arrested

Masindi: Police in Masindi District are investigating the theft of 17 computer processing units (CPUs) and nine monitors from Kinumi Seed Secondary School in Miirya Sub-county, Buruli County.

The computers are suspected to have been stolen in the early hours of Sunday, September 20, 2026, at around 3:20am from the school’s computer laboratory in Kinumi Village, Kigezi Parish.

Four suspects, including the school’s ICT room attendant, a security guard and two Senior Four students, have been arrested to aid investigations.

Remon Ahaisibwe, the school’s ICT room attendant, said the theft was discovered on Monday morning at around 9am when Senior One students reported for ICT practical lessons.

Ahaisibwe said he immediately informed fellow teachers before reporting the matter to police at Miirya Police Station.

The acting head teacher, Beatrice Agonzebwa, told police that she was informed about the incident by a school board member at around 11am on Monday.

Agonzebwa suspects the thieves accessed the computer laboratory through a window because the main entrance door showed no signs of forced entry.

Police arrest four suspects

Solomon Mugisa, the Albertine North Regional Community Liaison Officer and Acting Regional Police Spokesperson, said the laboratory was accessed after a burglar proof window was cut and broken.

“The computer laboratory window was cut and broken by unknown people who accessed the computer laboratory,” Mugisa said.

Among those arrested is Ahaisibwe, 22, who police said was responsible for keeping the laboratory keys.

Also arrested is Ojara Jacob, 37, a security guard who police said was on duty at the time of the incident. The other suspects are Senior Four students Meja Isaac, 19, and Balisiimaki Abdulrahim, 20.

Mugisa said investigations established that the two students were accommodated at the school and were sleeping in the same building where the computer laboratory was located.

Sniffer dog leads investigators to secondary scene

Police said a sniffer dog was introduced at the crime scene and tracked a scent for about 200 metres to a secondary scene across the road from the school.

Investigators recovered a plier, a green cloth believed to be a computer dust cover and empty sacks allegedly used to carry the stolen computers.

Police also recovered tyre marks near the secondary scene, where the stolen computers are suspected to have been loaded onto a vehicle.

According to police, residents of nearby Kagorogoro Village reported seeing a new-model Toyota Noah in the area around 3:20am.

Police said residents followed the vehicle and saw an unidentified person board it near the school before it sped towards Masindi town along the Miirya-Masindi road.

CCTV footage retrieved from Kidawalime company cameras reportedly showed a white Noah vehicle leaving the area towards Masindi town at about 3:50am.

However, police said the vehicle’s registration number could not be clearly seen in the footage.

RDC questions staff deployment

A team led by Masindi Deputy Resident District Commissioner Sanon Dhaala visited the school to assess the situation and question school authorities.

He also said security was pursuing the substantive head teacher and other teachers who were recruited and posted to the school but had not reported for duty since the reopening of schools for the third term.

Dhaala said he would direct the District Education Officer and Chief Administrative Officer to write to the Ministry of Education over the failure of the posted head teacher and teachers to report for duty.

He appealed to community members to cooperate with security by providing information that could help identify the suspects and recover the stolen computers.

Investigations continue

The case of office breaking and theft was registered at Miirya Sub-county Police Station under SD Reference 08/21/09/2026 and later registered at Masindi Central Police Station under MSD CRB 1016/2026.

A team of detectives, operations officers, Scene of Crime Officers and a canine unit from Masindi Central Police Station visited and examined the scene.

Police said relevant witness statements have been recorded and CCTV footage retrieved for further analysis.

The four suspects remain in custody as investigations continue to establish the circumstances surrounding the theft and recover the stolen computers.

Theft of computers at Budongo Seed SS

The theft of computers at Kinumi Seed Secondary School is not the first such incident to be reported at a government-aided school in Masindi District.

In July 2024, unknown thugs reportedly broke into Budongo Seed Secondary School in Nyantonzi Sub-county and made off with 16 computers.

The computers were stolen from the school’s ICT laboratory in the early hours of a Wednesday, according to the school administration.

Gordon Kigongo, the school’s head teacher at the time, said management discovered the theft after finding 16 of the 28 computers procured by the government missing from the laboratory.

The theft prompted concerns over the security of ICT equipment in schools, particularly at a time when schools were increasingly relying on computers for teaching and learning.

Sunday Eyotu, the then LC3 Chairperson of Nyantonzi Sub-county, said local leaders had been planning to strengthen security around the school’s ICT block.

School handed over

In February this year, Semwo Construction Company Ltd, contracted to construct Kinumi Community Seed Secondary School in Miirya Sub County, Buruli County in Masindi district has officially handed over the institution to Masindi district local government.

The handover presided over by the district authorities took place at the school premises.

Winfred Kakwo, the Site Engineer at Semwo Construction Company Ltd said that 18-month project costing Shs2.07 billion commenced in May 2024 and included the construction of administration block, a 2-unit science laboratory, two 2-unity classroom blocks, ICT/ library block and two 2-unit staff houses.

Others are two 2-unit staff kitchens, two stance lined VIP latrines for staff, two 2-stance lined CIP latrines for admin, five stance lined VIP latrines for girls, five stance lined VIP latrines for boys, sports field and water tank (5000L).

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