Suspected impersonator faints at press conference
Jun 07, 2009
A woman, who allegedly impersonated a special assistant to the education minister to cheat an Indian businessman, on Saturday fainted as she was being paraded before journalists at the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) head offices at Kireka in Kampala.
By Eddie Ssejjoba
A woman, who allegedly impersonated a special assistant to the education minister to cheat an Indian businessman, on Saturday fainted as she was being paraded before journalists at the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) head offices at Kireka in Kampala.
Shamimu Nakiwala, said to be a businesswoman and a resident of Kansanga, a city suburb, was arrested with her sister, Irene Babirye, for allegedly conning an Indian businessman of sh12m promising to help him get a deal to supply text books to schools.
Drama started when Nakiwala, who was outside talking to fellow suspects, claimed to feel uneasy and later collapsed when she saw the WBS television crew.
The RRU operatives, who were guarding the suspects, said she was normal and in a jolly mood when they got her from the cells.
She reportedly told her colleagues that she feared her boyfriend and members of her church at Kasangati would see her on television.
Sources said she had also refused to eat the posho they were served in the Police cells.
Although she has a Muslim name, Nakiwala is said to be a born-again Christian.
The Police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba, said Nakiwala and Babirye would be charged with theft and impersonation.
In April, Nakiwala reportedly carrying a ministry of education identification card, approached Anand Goel, the manager of Brijbasi Art Press, a stationery dealer on Nakivubo Road in Kampala and told him that she would secure a deal for him to supply three million text books to government-aided schools.
She allegedly asked for sh4m as facilitation and later demanded to travel to India to inspect the items.
She allegedly spent eight days in India, where she was accorded VIP treatment as a high ranking official of the Government.
On return she demanded another sh8m, saying it would be shared among the ministry officials and the minister in order to accept the deal, Nabakooba said.
The Police heard that after receiving the money, Nakiwala switched off her phone and went into hiding.
A woman, who allegedly impersonated a special assistant to the education minister to cheat an Indian businessman, on Saturday fainted as she was being paraded before journalists at the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) head offices at Kireka in Kampala.
Shamimu Nakiwala, said to be a businesswoman and a resident of Kansanga, a city suburb, was arrested with her sister, Irene Babirye, for allegedly conning an Indian businessman of sh12m promising to help him get a deal to supply text books to schools.
Drama started when Nakiwala, who was outside talking to fellow suspects, claimed to feel uneasy and later collapsed when she saw the WBS television crew.
The RRU operatives, who were guarding the suspects, said she was normal and in a jolly mood when they got her from the cells.
She reportedly told her colleagues that she feared her boyfriend and members of her church at Kasangati would see her on television.
Sources said she had also refused to eat the posho they were served in the Police cells.
Although she has a Muslim name, Nakiwala is said to be a born-again Christian.
The Police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba, said Nakiwala and Babirye would be charged with theft and impersonation.
In April, Nakiwala reportedly carrying a ministry of education identification card, approached Anand Goel, the manager of Brijbasi Art Press, a stationery dealer on Nakivubo Road in Kampala and told him that she would secure a deal for him to supply three million text books to government-aided schools.
She allegedly asked for sh4m as facilitation and later demanded to travel to India to inspect the items.
She allegedly spent eight days in India, where she was accorded VIP treatment as a high ranking official of the Government.
On return she demanded another sh8m, saying it would be shared among the ministry officials and the minister in order to accept the deal, Nabakooba said.
The Police heard that after receiving the money, Nakiwala switched off her phone and went into hiding.