Sam Engola Quizzed Over Drug Trafficking

Feb 21, 2002

PROMINENT Kampala businessman Sam Engola was yesterday quizzed by the Police’s Anti-Narcotics Unit who suspected him of possible links with a racket of narcotic dealers involving mostly Pakistani nationals.

By Vision ReportersPROMINENT Kampala businessman Sam Engola was yesterday quizzed by the Police’s Anti-Narcotics Unit who suspected him of possible links with a racket of narcotic dealers involving mostly Pakistani nationals.Police sources said they suspected Engola was on Monday at Entebbe International Airport waiting for three Pakistanis, but fled when the Pakistanis were netted by the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) with more than seven kilograms of heroine valued at about sh300m. Police sources said Engola was questioned on his possible link with the Pakistanis. Engola, dressed in a dark- blue suit with matching tie, arrived at the CID headquarters in Kampala at 4.20pm yesterday driving a dark-blue Pajero Reg. No. 436 UCH.He told The New Vision that he was innocent and had no links with the Pakistanis. He said the police queried him on his possible connection with the Pakistanis and why he was at the airport at the time of their arrival.“On Monday, I was at the airport waiting for a friend arriving from outside. I was at the departure lounge when I heard commotion at the arrival terminal. As a concerned citizen, I went to witness what was happening. I was told the Pakistanis were being arrested because they were suspected of dealing in narcotics, carrying illegal passports, and may be terrorists. After that, I drove to Kampala,” Engola said.The Pakistanis were identified as Dilawar Khan, 27, a businessman from Peshawar in Pakistan, who passed out 50 pellets of heroin valued at sh27m. His colleague, Zahir Shah, 22, a resident of Peshawar, was arrested with two suitcases containing 6kg of heroin valued at sh240m.The other was Gulander Khan, a businessman, who excreted 36 pellets of heroin valued at more than sh20m. They arrived on an Emirates flight No.423.On Tuesday, the Deputy Director of CID, Okoth Ochola, vowed to expose narcotic drug barons based in Kampala. Okoth later said the detectives identified the people who had gone to Entebbe Airport to receive Dilawar, but sneaked away on sensing they were being trailed by ANU and Internal Security Organisation (ISO) personnel.After arrest on Tuesday, the confident-looking Dilawar told journalists that the Ugandan authorities should net the drug barons living in Kampala if they are to stop the use of Uganda as a transit route. He named one of the barons as Muamatari or Muhammad Omar, a Pakistani who has Ugandan accomplices.Last week, a Nigerian pilot identified as Ojedi and employed by Uganda-based Das Air Cargo, was arrested at Gatwick airport in London with a kilogramme of heroin he allegedly picked at Entebbe.Sources said drug trafficking was being abetted by some Uganda security personnel and influential businessmen.Early this month, the Joint Security Unit, an amalgamation of several state security agencies led by Lt. Col. John Mugenyi, arrested the Entebbe airport boss of the Internal Security Organisation, Nathan Namanya, for abetting drug trafficking and use of fake passports.Ends

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});