A journalist in Masindi district has been shot dead by a private security guard.

The deceased has been identified as Gerald Aseera, 34, who was working for Kings Broadcasting Services in Masindi town as a talk show host and news anchor.

Aseera was shot dead near Coca-Cola depot in Central division, Masindi municipality at around 12:30am by Simon Ekou, 38, a private security guard attached to Blue Whale security company limited. Ekou had been deployed to guard the Coca-Cola depot in Masindi town.

Aseera died on arrival at Masindi General hospital. It is alleged that the security guard suspected Aseera to have been a thief.

Innocent Aliganyira, a journalist and colleague of the deceased says they were shocked when they heard about the death of Aseera at around midnight.

Dorothy Nyambubi, a workmate says Aseera left the workplace last evening at around 8:30pm in good spirits, but they were shocked when they received information that he had been shot dead.

Emmy Ngabirano, the Masindi Resident District Commissioner-RDC told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that police acted swiftly and arrested the security guard who is currently detained at Masindi Central Police Station.

He says police have also recovered a riffle registration number PSO21008209637 with three rounds of ammunition that were used in the shooting as investigations into the matter go on.