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Police arrest ex-UPDF soldier over extortion, impersonation
The suspect allegedly posed as a UPDF colonel and a member of the recruitment team, collecting up to sh600,000 from relatives of applicants seeking to join the army.
A police officer leads Benard Ayeet Osinde to Tororo Central Police Station following his arrest in Tororo district. (Photo by Faustine Odeke)
By: Faustine Odeke, Journalist @New Vision
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Police in Tororo district have arrested a former Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier on allegations of extorting millions of shillings from relatives and applicants during the ongoing UPDF recruitment exercise.
Benard Ayeet Osinde, 45, a resident of Aputir central village in Morukatipe sub-county, Tororo district, has reportedly been masquerading as a UPDF colonel and claiming to be part of the UPDF recruitment team to con unsuspecting members of the public.
Moses Johnson Mugwe, the Bukedi South police spokesperson, said Osinde was arrested following numerous complaints at Tororo central police station by victims, including relatives of UPDF applicants who reportedly paid him up to sh600,000.
Moses Johnson Mugwe, the Bukedi South police spokesperson, said Osinde was arrested following numerous complaints at Tororo central police station by victims, including relatives of UPDF applicants who reportedly paid him up to sh600,000.
Mugwe said Osinde, who reportedly retired from the army in 2010 at the age of 30, has been involved in a number of robbery activities in the district and that at one time they recovered army attire and a gun abandoned in an isolated place that were allegedly linked to him.
Osinde has also been reportedly going to factories and businesses in Tororo, claiming to be the district police commander or district internal security officer before threatening and extorting money from the proprietors.
‘’We call upon the general public with more complaints to make statements with the police to enable us to have more evidence to have him prosecuted once the resident state attorney sanctions his file,’’ Mugwe said.
Osinde has also been reportedly going to factories and businesses in Tororo, claiming to be the district police commander or district internal security officer before threatening and extorting money from the proprietors.
‘’We call upon the general public with more complaints to make statements with the police to enable us to have more evidence to have him prosecuted once the resident state attorney sanctions his file,’’ Mugwe said.