Report on MTN mobile money fraud accurate - witness

By Edward Anyoli

A digital forensic examination carried out to establish whether MTN telecommunication lost sh3.1b was 100% accurate, court heard.

John Semakula a forensic examiner on Monday told Anti-Corruption Court presided over by Justice Paul Mugamba that his report that he submitted to police regarding illegal mobile money transaction was consistent and accurate.

Semakula said he found the computer and hard drive to have been used in illegal transaction where money was transferred from MTN mobile money to some individuals.

He (Semakula) said during cross-examination that he carried out the forensic examinations on April 17, 2013 with the view of backing up evidence in court.

“The investigating officer gave us the terms of reference and my report is based on two items, a computer and hard drive the term of reference sought to find out whether there was mobile money transaction,” Semakula said.

He said the Dell computer was active on January 25, 2013 and that user profile of Christine Alanyo was active.

Semakula was giving evidence against former MTN employees: Joseph Joshua Magombe a MTN mobile money agent, Daniel Ssegujja a sales representative, and Irene Kauma a sales executive for Essy Mobile Money, Jerom Oketcho Jackchin a retention executive with MTN.

The former employees are jointly charged with a self-employed businessman Edrisa Sserunkuma of Kawempe a city suburb, Henry Matovu a self-employed businessman of Seguku, Joshua Kalumba also a businessman and Peter Ayebale a cleaner, and Mary Nasejje

Prosecution led by State Attorneys Marion Acio and Paul Lakidi alleged that the nine suspects on January 25, 2013 at MTN offices on Yusuf Lule Road in Kampala stole sh 3,150, 000,000 the property of MTN Uganda.

It also alleged that the suspects in the month of January and others still at large within Kampala conspired to commit a felony of theft. They denied the charges.

The five employees allegedly hacked into MTN computers and wired over sh3b to accounts of seven agents registered with the telecom provider across Kampala according to prosecution.