Beware of uniformed conmen
Jun 04, 2003
As survival in town is getting more difficult, conmen are changing their tactics and continue to fleece unsuspecting Ugandans of their hard-earned cash
By John Kamya
As survival in town is getting more difficult, conmen are changing their tactics and continue to fleece unsuspecting Ugandans of their hard-earned cash.
This clique is proving to be dangerous because they are abusing their office as security personnel to extort money from the people they are meant to protect.
Last week, the police busted a group that was based at Kizito Towers on Luwumu Street. RO7588 Lugambwa Apollo a.k.a. Captain Kayiwa of Kasubi and RA230066 Corporal Muhammad Nduga of bombo UPDF headquarters were arrested after extorting sh570,000 from Richard (not real name).
Richard, who had just returned to Uganda from abroad was arrested and threatened with charges relating to national security. “They drove me to the compound of CID headquarters where they claimed to be working with the International Police (Interpol). They then demanded for sh1m or else put me in cells,†said Richard.
Because Richard did not have the money, the conmen offered him their phones and he called his relatives who brought sh570,000 which they received outside the CID headquarters.
The conmen gave him their cell phone numbers –– 077839494 belonging to captain Kayiwa and 077624530 of the driver so that he would contact them to deliver the balance. Wisely, Richard contacted the police and a trap was laid and the conmen were arrested as they collected ‘their’ balance of sh430,000.
One of the convincing tricks of the conmen is their daring ability to drive victims to the CID headquarters compound, Central Police Station or any other police station.
Not everybody who drives near a police station or any other office is a staff of that office.
“If any person fakes up an offence and arrests you saying he or she is taking you to the police, insist going on foot. You can also insist on going to the nearest police booth, post or station first,†says Asuman Mugenyi, the Police public relations officer.
He adds that where transactions are being conducted outside office, you should insist on entering the offices and seeing a responsible officer. In January, the police arrested two conmen, who had impersonated the staff of Chiefta-incy of Military Intellig-ence and were in the pro-cess of extorting money from a woman. They had forged identity cards of the security agency.
In such circumstances, always crosscheck with the alleged authority to confirm whether the arrest is legal and sanctioned. Keep the phone numbers of your nearest Police station for contact when in such trouble. You can also crosscheck with CID headquarters on No. 041-256214 or police headquarters on 041-254033.
If the situation involves the CMI, crosscheck with them on 041-349460. If it involves the military or its agencies, contact their civil military relations desk on 041-343668 or 077-404648 or go to their offices at Century House, plot 13 Siad Barre Avenue. For terrorism allegations, one can ring the Joint Anti-terrorism Headquarters on 041-344907.
As survival in town is getting more difficult, conmen are changing their tactics and continue to fleece unsuspecting Ugandans of their hard-earned cash.
This clique is proving to be dangerous because they are abusing their office as security personnel to extort money from the people they are meant to protect.
Last week, the police busted a group that was based at Kizito Towers on Luwumu Street. RO7588 Lugambwa Apollo a.k.a. Captain Kayiwa of Kasubi and RA230066 Corporal Muhammad Nduga of bombo UPDF headquarters were arrested after extorting sh570,000 from Richard (not real name).
Richard, who had just returned to Uganda from abroad was arrested and threatened with charges relating to national security. “They drove me to the compound of CID headquarters where they claimed to be working with the International Police (Interpol). They then demanded for sh1m or else put me in cells,†said Richard.
Because Richard did not have the money, the conmen offered him their phones and he called his relatives who brought sh570,000 which they received outside the CID headquarters.
The conmen gave him their cell phone numbers –– 077839494 belonging to captain Kayiwa and 077624530 of the driver so that he would contact them to deliver the balance. Wisely, Richard contacted the police and a trap was laid and the conmen were arrested as they collected ‘their’ balance of sh430,000.
One of the convincing tricks of the conmen is their daring ability to drive victims to the CID headquarters compound, Central Police Station or any other police station.
Not everybody who drives near a police station or any other office is a staff of that office.
“If any person fakes up an offence and arrests you saying he or she is taking you to the police, insist going on foot. You can also insist on going to the nearest police booth, post or station first,†says Asuman Mugenyi, the Police public relations officer.
He adds that where transactions are being conducted outside office, you should insist on entering the offices and seeing a responsible officer. In January, the police arrested two conmen, who had impersonated the staff of Chiefta-incy of Military Intellig-ence and were in the pro-cess of extorting money from a woman. They had forged identity cards of the security agency.
In such circumstances, always crosscheck with the alleged authority to confirm whether the arrest is legal and sanctioned. Keep the phone numbers of your nearest Police station for contact when in such trouble. You can also crosscheck with CID headquarters on No. 041-256214 or police headquarters on 041-254033.
If the situation involves the CMI, crosscheck with them on 041-349460. If it involves the military or its agencies, contact their civil military relations desk on 041-343668 or 077-404648 or go to their offices at Century House, plot 13 Siad Barre Avenue. For terrorism allegations, one can ring the Joint Anti-terrorism Headquarters on 041-344907.