CRIME WATCH: Conmen have endless tricks
Jan 22, 2003
Conmen do not run out of ways in which to fleece people of their hard-earned cash.
Conmen do not run out of ways in which to fleece people of their hard-earned cash. Last week, the police paraded three conmen who had forged identity cards of the ‘Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence’.
Richard Mukiibi and Ben Kalyoko were in the process of extorting money from a woman after they identified themselves as operatives from Military intelligence. Onek Moses of Card Systems, a card printing company located on Blacklines house was found to have printed the cards. The identity cards carried the national and UPDF flags with the words, “Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence P. O. Box 132 Bombo. They had a photograph and signatures of the holder and were duly signed by ‘the Director’. The expiry date was ‘Open’.
“The modus operandi of these conmen is that they will bring up a case of terrorism or robbery against you and start questioning you. In your effort to plead innocence, they will put you in a vehicle purportedly to take you to CMI headquarters or to Central Police Station. In the process, they will suggest that if you have some money they could let you go,†says Mr Elly Womanya, the Officer in Charge of anti-terrorism investigation at CID headquarters.
Even when you have paid them some money, they will continue extorting more money from you purportedly to drop the case.
Womanya says cases of that nature have increased. Even in the middle of this interview, a call came in of someone who was being harassed by ‘Operation Wembley’ operatives. On cross-checking with Wembley headquarters, it was found that the operation had not been sanctioned and the names of the operatives had never been heard of by Wembley officials.
Moses Onek, who printed the cards says he was conned by the two men, who approached him promising him a tender to print CMI identity cards. They asked him to make samples and they provided the photographs and the UPDF logos.
“With such a deal, I was more than ready to produce the samples. They had headed papers of the UPDF and they looked convincing.â€
Nuwamanya advises people who are approached by such conmen to insist on going to the police first: “If someone says he/she is from CMI, insist you go to police first because CMI always starts with the police before they arrest someone. You can also ring the nearest police station or ring Joint Anti-terrorism Headquarters on 041-344907,†he says.
Other incidences involve conmen learning that a security agency has arrested someone and they go to his/her relatives saying they know where he/she is detained.
Military Intelligence insists that the public calls 041-349460 when such situations arise. You can also contact their civil military relations desk on 041-343668 or 077-404648. This is found at Century House, plot 13, Siad Barre Avenue. Ends
Richard Mukiibi and Ben Kalyoko were in the process of extorting money from a woman after they identified themselves as operatives from Military intelligence. Onek Moses of Card Systems, a card printing company located on Blacklines house was found to have printed the cards. The identity cards carried the national and UPDF flags with the words, “Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence P. O. Box 132 Bombo. They had a photograph and signatures of the holder and were duly signed by ‘the Director’. The expiry date was ‘Open’.
“The modus operandi of these conmen is that they will bring up a case of terrorism or robbery against you and start questioning you. In your effort to plead innocence, they will put you in a vehicle purportedly to take you to CMI headquarters or to Central Police Station. In the process, they will suggest that if you have some money they could let you go,†says Mr Elly Womanya, the Officer in Charge of anti-terrorism investigation at CID headquarters.
Even when you have paid them some money, they will continue extorting more money from you purportedly to drop the case.
Womanya says cases of that nature have increased. Even in the middle of this interview, a call came in of someone who was being harassed by ‘Operation Wembley’ operatives. On cross-checking with Wembley headquarters, it was found that the operation had not been sanctioned and the names of the operatives had never been heard of by Wembley officials.
Moses Onek, who printed the cards says he was conned by the two men, who approached him promising him a tender to print CMI identity cards. They asked him to make samples and they provided the photographs and the UPDF logos.
“With such a deal, I was more than ready to produce the samples. They had headed papers of the UPDF and they looked convincing.â€
Nuwamanya advises people who are approached by such conmen to insist on going to the police first: “If someone says he/she is from CMI, insist you go to police first because CMI always starts with the police before they arrest someone. You can also ring the nearest police station or ring Joint Anti-terrorism Headquarters on 041-344907,†he says.
Other incidences involve conmen learning that a security agency has arrested someone and they go to his/her relatives saying they know where he/she is detained.
Military Intelligence insists that the public calls 041-349460 when such situations arise. You can also contact their civil military relations desk on 041-343668 or 077-404648. This is found at Century House, plot 13, Siad Barre Avenue. Ends