Four Pakistan nationals held in Moroto

INVESTIGATION

MOROTO - Four Pakistan nationals are being held at Moroto Central Police station, Moroto district on allegations of operating in the country without a work permit.

The Police have identified the suspects as Nazir Mohamed, Khalil Mohamed, Rafiq Mohamed and Asif Mohamud. The group reportedly arrived in Moroto town on Sunday.

The team was arrested at one of the popular hangouts in Moroto, where they had check in for a night on Monday.

Information available indicates that Latif and Rafiq entered Uganda through Malaba on January 25, while, Khalil and Nazir came through Mutukula, Busia border posts on February 14 and January 25 respectively.

Their passports show the team has never been in Pakistan for the last four years. But they have been constantly travelling within East Africa and Saudi Arabia during the last 48 months.

The suspects' phones had sim cards ending with ….2262, 2263, ….2264 from Airtel Uganda.

According to Thomas Ocen Opiga, the officer in charge of the crime desk at Moroto CPS, the Pakistan nationals were selling phones worth sh2.5m at between sh200,000 and sh350,000, an issue that prompted the locals to intervene.

"When we arrested the group, they said they were tourists who had run short of money," Opiga noted, adding that their aim was to raise transport fare to Kampala.

He, however, said they later changed their statements, saying they were in Moroto to find market for Pakistan rice.

He further said on checking their luggage, the Police found 39 Galaxy 9 phones.

"We have now involved counter terrorism and migration to help us trace their uncoordinated explanations and travel plan to Uganda," Opiga said.

The Mt. Moroto regional police commander, Richard Aruk Maruk, said investigations are ongoing to ascertain their motives.