The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered the immediate release of Colonel James Kasule, the UPDF second division deputy commander who had been arrested over an incident related to kidnapping and robbery of a gold dealer.
On Monday morning, Gen Muhoozi took to X (formerly Twitter), expressing dissatisfaction with the arrest:
“I hear that our Intelligence officers arrested Col. Kasule for something. He should immediately be released,” Gen Muhoozi wrote.
Describing Kasule as a trusted veteran, Gen Muhoozi added that he will deal with him, ordering Intelligence to release him immediately.
“Col. Kasule is one of our old fighters. I know him very well. I shall deal with him myself.”
The Colonel’s arrest on Sunday stemmed from a high-profile security investigation into an incident that occurred a day earlier in Mubende District.
According to security sources, a gold dealer carrying significant sums of cash from recent sales was intercepted by armed soldiers.
The victim was reportedly forced to contact associates to send mobile money transfers, which were quickly withdrawn by the perpetrators.
Intelligence sources suspect that the attack may have been an act of retaliation after Kasule was allegedly swindled in a previous illicit gold transaction.
The scandal deepened after investigators recovered Col Kasule’s official UPDF vehicle at the scene of the incident, strongly implicating him and raising serious concerns about the misuse of state resources and authority.
In what has become a major embarrassment for military leadership, Kasule was detained and transferred to Makindye Military Barracks as inquiries intensified.
However, Gen Muhoozi’s intervention suggests the matter could take a different turn.
While Kasule remains in custody, the CDF’s declaration signals a potential shift from institutional investigation to internal handling at the highest level.
The incident came a few months to Col Kasule’s retirement from active service of the UPDF.
