Uganda shuts Bunyoro weighbridges used to launder stolen sugarcane

Stolen sugarcane pipelines just got wrecked after roadside weighbridges were shut down for turning theft into clean cash.

Weighbridges shut in Masindi and Bunyoro

• The government pulled down roadside weighbridges in Masindi and Bunyoro.
• Investigators found they were key hubs for stolen cane sales.
• The police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs ran a joint probe.
• Trade Commissioner David Kiiza said closures followed a ministerial order.

How the cane theft racket worked

• Officials described weigh sites as main deal spots.
• Thieves cut mature cane from estates and outgrower fields at night.
• Drivers hauled the harvest to roadside scales for paperwork.
• Documents made the stolen crop look legit to buyers.

Kinyara Sugar Ltd diversion case

• Kinyara Sugar Ltd lost 24 tonnes from Kthe ingo No. 6 field.
• Truck UBA 886R KCV 456 carried the load.
• Francis Mugerwa said the driver came back for another docket.
• Security chased the suspect, while two loaders were arrested.

Police tracking and ongoing probe

• ASP Joseph Karwani confirmed the case remains active.
• Officers traced the consignment to a roadside scale.
• Masindi District CID is hunting the main suspect.
• Authorities vowed criminal charges for aiding weigh sites.

Economic stakes and farmer impact

• Uganda's sugar sector adds 5 to 7 percent to GDP.
• Annual tax revenue ranges between Shs350 billion and Shs550 billion.
• Kinyara Sugar Ltd employs over 7,000 workers.
• Farmers in Masindi hire private guards after night raids.