Mercy Agudo, a security guard attached to Centurian security limited Mukono branch was on Friday detained by police for stealing Uganda Christian University students’ properties.
It is reported that Agudo was caught red-handed by students at JK hostel where she was deployed as a guard with parked clothes belonging to students. Students took her to UCU police station where she is currently detained.
UCU Police Officer in Charge-OC, Dickson Tar says Agudo will be arraigned before court on Monday. He wonders why she ended up stealing student’s properties instead of protecting them.
Nonetheless, The Insight Post has established from other security guards working for the same company (Centurian) that their colleague might have been forced by financial brokenness after spending three months without receiving salaries.
The same guards petitioned Mukono District Labour officer, Doreen Berinda seeking redress over delayed payments.
In the complaint letter obtained by The Insight Post written on July 21, this year endorsed by signatures of fifteen guards indicates that whenever they ask for their salaries, they are told that the company director is drowned in bank loans to clear salaries lately.
“We have now become victims of his loans. So he tells us to use our 99 guns for survival in a smart way (referring to stealing). …we were neither trained to steal nor have the will for it.” The letter reads in parts.
Guards demand for money ranging from Shillings 17, 000 for one month and those with three months, Shillings 510, 000 each.
The branch manager for Mukono, Dennis Nabasa says the company director is working hard to clear arrears though he strongly denies commanding the guards to misuse guns as well as being involved in any kind of robbery.
Centurian security group was incorporated in 2015 to offer security services including providing guards, escorts, investigations and consultancy services. Its headquarters are based in Magwa- Jinja City.
Recently, Mukono district has had looming cases of armed robberies where supermarkets, shops, petrol stations, schools and parking spaces have been robbed leaving people dead as well as injuring several.
Eli Nkalubo, the Chairperson-LCI Agip Cell in Mukono Central Division says the government approves security companies to operate but lacks manpower to directly supervise and monitor them.
He notes that they operate in communities but have always declined to cooperate with local leadership.
In the recent security meeting, Mukono Resident District Commissioner-Fatumah Ndisaba appeals to the inspector general of police to revise the modality of approving and monitoring security companies.
Ndisaba as well advised residents who hire private security services to also be responsible when dealing with security personnels since putting them much into their private lives can leak their secrets and at the end land into dangers.
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