A porter at Kampala Serena Hotel has been remanded to prison over allegations of stealing cash from a visiting South Sudanese military officer.
The suspect, William Ssemata, 39, was presented before the Chief Magistrates’ Court in Kampala on Thursday. Grade One Magistrate Rophine Achayo ordered that he be remanded as investigations continue. He is charged with theft.
According to prosecutors, the alleged theft occurred on April 12, 2026, while Ssemata was on duty at the hotel. He is accused of taking $12,000 (about Shs45.6 million) from Aaron Jeremiah Balla Sudan.
Court records show the officer had travelled from Malaysia with about $12,300. Most of the money was reportedly meant for buying gifts, including a watch intended for South Sudan’s president.
Investigators told court that Ssemata was responsible for handling the officer’s luggage on arrival. CCTV footage allegedly shows he was the only staff member who accessed the bags during a key period. Part of the movement happened inside a lift without surveillance cameras, leaving a gap investigators believe may have been exploited.
Hotel security later picked him out as a suspect and handed him over to police on April 18.
If found guilty, Ssemata faces a prison sentence of up to 10 years, with the possibility of a stiffer penalty if the court determines there was abuse of trust.
He is expected to return to court on May 13 for further proceedings, where a decision will be made on whether the case proceeds to full trial.
