Police in Masaka City have arrested 13 private security guards following a break-in at a female students’ hostel at Equator University of Science and Technology.
The university, commonly known as EQUSat, is located in Kigamba, a suburb of Masaka City.
Police said the suspects are attached to PSG Security Company Limited. They were reportedly on duty when the break-in occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Preliminary investigations show that the thieves stole laptops, phones, money and other valuables belonging to students.
Police Begin Investigations
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson Twaha Kasirye confirmed the incident. He said police had started investigations into the break-in.
“We have managed to arrest some people who are going to help our detectives in the investigations; some were caught as they tried to flee the area following the incident,” he said.
Mr Kasirye added that police were still gathering information before taking the suspects to court.
‘’We are putting together all the necessary information, and soon the suspects will be arraigned in court; there are others who are still on the run, but we are also hunting for them,” he added.
More Suspects Still Wanted
Police said some suspects remain at large. Investigators are pursuing them as they work to establish the circumstances surrounding the hostel break-in.
The arrest of the guards has raised questions about security at the students’ residence, since the suspects were reportedly on duty during the incident.
About EQUSat
EQUSat has its main campus in Masaka City, near Masaka Regional Referral Hospital.
The university was established under an agreement between the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Health, and the University of Lahore in Pakistan.
It started enrolling students in 2021 and uses Masaka Regional Referral Hospital as its teaching hospital.
The institution currently has close to 600 students. Some of them come from countries including Liberia, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Chad, Comoros and Niger.