Kiboga High Court: Prison Warder Convicted of 4 Murders

The High Court sitting at Kiboga has convicted Prison Warder Moses Anguyo of murdering four people, including two prison officers and a one-year-old child, during a shooting at Kiboga Government Prison earlier this year. Anguyo was convicted on Monday after pleading guilty to seven charges arising from the shooting on February 23, 2026. The charges included four counts of murder, two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of threatening violence. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines The prosecution asked the court to impose the maximum penalty, which is death. The court is expected to hear from the families of the deceased, the Uganda Prisons Service and members of the community before delivering the sentence on Tuesday, September 1. Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga presided over the case. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was represented by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Dr Daisy Nabasitu and Senior State Attorney Stephen Arion. Anguyo was represented by lawyers Swaibu Male and Cate Nakamya. Those killed were Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Catherine Hope, Principal Officer One (PO1) Bright Akishuri, Sarah Ayebare and her one-year-old son, Salson Niwagaba. How the shooting unfolded Prosecutors told the court that the incident began during a routine inspection at Kiboga Government Prison, where Anguyo was on duty at Sentry "A" and armed with an SMG rifle. According to the prosecution, Anguyo had been found using a mobile phone while on duty, contrary to prison operational rules. He was reportedly instructed by his superiors to hand over his firearm. The prosecution said he instead became violent, cocked the weapon and pointed it at the Officer in Charge of Kiboga Government Prison, Superintendent of Police Ivan Niwagaba. Although the firearm initially failed to fire, prosecutors said Anguyo re-cocked it and shot at SP Niwagaba, who managed to escape unharmed. The shooting then continued inside the prison compound. Sarah Ayebare and her young son, Salson Niwagaba, were shot while in a vehicle in the prison yard. ASP Catherine Hope was also fatally shot in a toilet at the District Health Officer's premises, according to the prosecution. PO1 Bright Akishuri was killed as he responded to the sound of gunfire. Prosecutors said he believed prisoners might have escaped and was moving to respond to the situation when he was shot. Anguyo then fled the area. According to the prosecution, he went to Saza Trading Centre, where he robbed two women of clothes while armed with the same SMG rifle. The stolen items included a pair of black jeans belonging to Katusiime Grace and an Arsenal jersey belonging to Nabayiga Mary. The warder later abandoned his prison uniform and firearm in a bush in Kibiga Sub-County before making his way towards northern Uganda and eventually crossing into the Democratic Republic of Congo. His disappearance triggered a cross-border manhunt. Ugandan security agencies worked with Congolese authorities to trace him, and he was arrested in Aru, DRC, on March 27, 2026. The arrest followed a joint operation involving Ugandan police and prison officers and Congolese security authorities. Ugandan investigators had also arrested people close to Anguyo during the search for him, according to earlier reports on the case. He was subsequently returned to Uganda to face trial. When proceedings began at the High Court in Kiboga, Anguyo initially denied the charges. He later changed his plea and admitted responsibility for the seven offences. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. On Monday, the court formally convicted him after accepting his guilty pleas. The prosecution and defence then made submissions