Three police officers have been arrested as investigators intensify inquiries into the fatal shooting of a coffee factory worker during an inspection operation involving officials from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) in Gomba District.
The victim, Katerega Musa, a machine operator at Abbarci Industries Ltd, was shot dead on July 1 at around 4:00 p.m. at the company’s coffee processing facility in Kanoni Cell, Kanoni Town Council, in an incident that has sparked serious questions over the conduct of a government-led enforcement operation.
According to Katonga Regional Police, preliminary investigations show that a team of UCDA officials, accompanied by armed security personnel and police officers, had visited the factory to inspect its coffee processing operations.
Police said the inspection team was led by a UCDA official identified only as Mathias, who was reportedly known to the Acting Factory Manager and Accountant, Nalubega Zalika.
However, what began as a routine regulatory inspection ended in tragedy after a confrontation erupted at the factory.
Investigators say video footage recovered from the scene shows a scuffle involving some of the people present moments before the fatal gunshot was fired.
“The investigations are currently focused on establishing the circumstances that led to the altercation and determining how it culminated in the shooting that claimed the life of Katerega Musa,” Katonga Regional Police spokesperson SP Lydia Tumushabe said in a statement released on Saturday.
Police officers arrested
As investigations gathered pace, police confirmed the arrest of three officers attached to Butambala Police Station who had formed part of the security team accompanying the inspection.
The officers have been identified as Police Constable Mujuni Nicholas, Police Constable Welikhe Dan Alex, and Corporal Foste Bosco.
Police said the trio remains in custody and will be produced before court as investigations continue.
“We remain committed to conducting thorough, impartial and professional investigations to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident and to ensure that all those found culpable are brought to justice,” Tumushabe said.
The police statement did not disclose which officer is suspected of firing the fatal shot or whether the firearm believed to have been used has been recovered.
Incident sparked outrage
The latest arrests come days after police launched a manhunt following the shooting, with early reports indicating that several members of the inspection team fled the scene immediately after the incident. Witnesses alleged that chaos broke out after attempts were made to arrest some factory workers, culminating in the fatal shooting. Those claims remain under investigation.
The death of Katerega has generated public outrage in Gomba, with residents and workers demanding accountability over the use of live firearms during what was expected to be a regulatory inspection.
The recovered video footage is expected to become a key piece of evidence in reconstructing the sequence of events leading to the shooting.
About the factory
Abbarci Industries Ltd is one of Uganda’s licensed coffee processors and exporters. Incorporated in 2019, the company purchases, processes and exports both Arabica and Robusta coffee to markets including Europe, Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. The company has previously featured in official coffee industry directories as a licensed exporter and processor.
The fatal incident comes at a time when Uganda’s coffee sector is under increased regulatory scrutiny aimed at enforcing quality standards and improving traceability in the country’s lucrative coffee export industry.
Police say investigations into the shooting are ongoing and more arrests have not been ruled out as detectives analyse video evidence, interview witnesses and establish individual responsibility for the killing.
