Zurah Nakabugo
4 August 2007
Kampala — Police have recorded 2,097 cases in which unsuspecting members of the public have been cheated of money by con artists in the first half of the year.
Police say the number of cases, which are already above the number recorded over the same period last year, could rise as the Commonwealth Summit and the end of year holiday season approach, and as new cheating tricks come into play.
Many of the suspects are now facing charges of extortion, obtaining money by false pretence, impersonation, making counterfeit currency notes, and uttering false documents.
According to the police, more than 50 individuals, most of whom are based in Kampala, are noted habitual con artists. Their tricks are many and diverse.
They range from pretending to being emissaries of one's relatives living abroad to posing as employees of property tycoon and hotelier Sudhir Ruparelia intending to sell "horse vaccine". Mr Ruparelia keeps horses at his Lake Victoria resort in Munyonyo on the southern outskirts of Kampala. Others pose as district chairmen from the newly created and therefore relatively less known districts.
And the tricks keep evolving. For example, last year, the con artists favoured the use of "black dollars", now they have moved on to "black shillings", especially Shs50,000 notes. They have even adapted their tricks to modern technology. To avoid detection, for example, they buy fresh mobile phone lines for every new con job.
And it is not uncommon for a con man to feign a foreign accent to get his way. If one wanted to sound European or American, say, he or she simply holds his or her nose while speaking on the phone.
But all this comes after they have done careful research on a potential victim. They focus on one's family, friends, jobs held, work colleagues, among many others. With this information in the bag of tricks, they can then pounce with ease pretending, for example, to be bearing a message from a relative abroad.
Police could not reveal the exact amount of money the gullible Ugandans in a hurry to become rich have lost so far save to say it runs in the billions.
Now police have mounted an operation and are closing in on known tricksters who are often repeat offenders. According to the police, many of these people have either served out several jail terms or are out on bail. The maximum jail term handed con artists is five years.
"We think that by taking them to court they can repent but they are just becoming hardcore criminals because they know that their offence is bailable," said Kampala Extra Region Police Spokesman Simeo Nsubuga.
Police want tougher laws that can keep repeat offenders in prison longer. Mr Nsubuga, an assistant superintendent of police, described the many tricks the con artists use.
Sent by relatives
A favoured trick is for con men to approach you saying one of your relatives has sent you goods for sale from abroad. They then ask that you pay money for clearing the goods at the port in Mombasa. The money, in dollars, is supposedly meant to cover taxes and transportation costs. Sometimes they ask that their victim pays the clearance fees through Western Union.
Once they land on the money, they melt into thin air and switch off their mobile phones.
Police in Kampala recently arrested two such suspected con men: Mr Martin Nsereko, a builder and resident of Busega; and Mr Herbert Kamukama, a driver and resident of Kibuye 2 Zone. They affected one of the European accents and conned Lt. George Kiggundu of Army General Headquarters, Bombo, of Shs6.5 million.
They claimed that one of Lt. Kiggundu's relatives named Lillian in London had sent him goods worth Shs82 million and needed Shs8.2 million to clear the goods at Entebbe Airport and in Mombasa. "They said Lillian had sent him 100 Nokia N70 mobile phones, 30 computers, fifteen 14-inch television sets, a generator, golden watches, and a golden ring," Mr Nsubuga said. Lt. Kiggundu sold his car, borrowed some more to top up and lost almost all his money.
Bona Baggagawale cash
Mr Emmanuel Tibaijuka, 36, is a true man of the times. He taps into public policy to make a quick shilling. The anti-poverty project Bona Baggagawale has been particularly lucrative for him.
This resident of Wakaliga Zone in Nateete has reportedly bagged Shs130 million by claiming he can help people access money meant for the newly introduced Savings and Credit Co-operatives or Saccos under the new Ministry of Micro-Finance.
"He has been extorting money from people and passing himself off as a captain or lieutenant in the UPDF attached to Gen. Salim Sale's office in the Ministry of Micro Finance," Mr Nsubuga said. Gen. Saleh is the microfinance minister.
Mr Tibaijuka reportedly asks for about Shs2 million from his targets so that he can connect them to people on high in the ministry to help them process business proposals and acquire loans under bona baggagawale scheme. He has also promised to take a few lucky Ugandans to train in London to work as guides and drivers during the Commonwealth Summit due here in November.
He has been charging Shs200,000 each person for a passport, Shs500,000 to Shs1.5 million for a visa, and even more money for an air ticket. For all that, Mr Tibaijuka is out on police bond. But his luck may yet run out as, Mr Nsubuga said. "Many complainants against him are still coming and recording statements."
Black shillings
Those who want to go from rugs-to-riches in record time have been an easy target for your typical con man - the type who specialises in using chemicals to "wash black shillings" and turn them into ready-to-use "legal" tender.
Mr Richard Kavule is reportedly a fair example of this brand of con man. Police arrested Mr Kavule, who is also a teacher at Bulenga SS, last week. Said Mr Nsubuga: "The con men make enough research about you, then call you and convince you that they stole boxes of black shillings sent to develop NGOs dealing with HIV/Aids and orphans but they lack money to buy chemicals to wash the money and get genuine currency.
"They even confuse you and pour some water on genuine money by pretending that they have used chemicals to wash [previously] black shillings into genuine notes. Then they give it to you to buy something."
After "testing" the money, poor Ugandans accept to pay anywhere between Shs10 to 30 million to buy even more chemicals to wash the black shillings and make even more money. But once they have paid, the tricksters laugh all the way to share their loot.
Industrial bearings
"This type of conning is going down a bit but many people, especially professors, MPs, and ministers lost millions of money early this year through this scam," Mr Nsubuga said.
The con artists claim to be making a deal to buy industrial bearings or oil.
According to Mr Nsubuga, a Makerere University professor fell victim to this trick and parted with Shs100 million.
"Someone called the professor on the phone and identified himself as his former student whom he had taught mechanical engineering at the university," the police officer said. "The con man told the professor that he was working with British American Tobacco, Arua, as an engineer."
He then told the professor that their machines had broken down and that his white boss was travelling abroad to get new bearings.
The deal, the con man proposed, was to have the professor buy the bearings locally and sell them at twice the price to the white boss and spare him the trip overseas.
The professor, who the mzungu would easily believe, was directed to buy a sample from a certain place and give it to the mzungu who accepted them as conforming to the specifications.
Said Mr Nsubuga: "The professor looked for money and even mortgaged his property and vehicles to raise Shs100 million. He bought 100 bearings at Shs100 million but when he took them to the mzungu to buy, he found he had vanished."
And so had his former engineering "student". Police are now hunting the mzungu who showed the professor a briefcase full of cash in dollars when he presented the sample.
Vaccine for horses
Some claim to work for Speak Resort Munyonyo where businessman Sudhir Ruparelia keeps horses. They say they are selling some of the horse vaccine they use for the horses at Shs3 million per tin. They also say they know some Congolese who want to buy the vaccine and offer to sell it to their victims with a "ready market" since the Congolese are waiting in line.
In a few hours the gullible victim receives a call from someone with a Lingala accent who says he is interested in the vaccine. The target buys the product from "Sudhir's employees" only to call his Congolese buyers and, as always, finds their phones off.
This week, Mr Fred Mugisha alias Kagoro Magolo of Najjanankumbi and Mr Rogers Lubega alias Dr Sulah Kasegwa of Kabowa were arrested for allegedly selling a plant spray as horse vaccine to a powerful businessman in town.
Cars for Sudan, Congo
Here even women are cashing in, police say. The tricksters approach companies and people selling relatively expensive vehicles - the ones that go for between Shs20 million and Shs50 million and buy them on credit. They pay half the money and deposit post-dated cheques as guarantee for the other half.
"They mainly look for 4-wheel drive vehicles like Mercedes Benz, Toyota Land Cruiser, and Lexus," Mr Nsubuga said. "When the owners of the vehicles take the cheques to the banks to get the remaining balance, they tell them that the account was closed or the cheque was forged."
Last week police arrested Ms Rehemah Namutebi Kijjambu allegedly over just such con job. She bought four vehicles from King's Way Motors and issued cheques that bounced.
District leaders
These ones go from hotel-to-hotel to get prior information about impending workshops. They then forge identity cards to pass off as local government officials from Uganda's many new districts. "They mainly call themselves chairpersons of the new districts like Kabong, Buliisa, Abimu, Amurata.
They sign for transport allowances, per diem, and eat food," the police publicist said, adding that the organisers of the workshops think that they have got representatives from those districts whereas not. Among these suspects, police are hunting Mr Charles Akena who passes himself of as the vice chairman of Kabong.
Said Mr Nsubuga: "This con man presented himself as a delegate during an African conference on peace through tourism at Serena Hotel. He signed for transport, per diem and ate lunch." He said at times the con men steal laptops from organisers. Police have arrested Mr Frank Kamukama alias Abel Atwine for these sorts of tricks.
Supernatural powers
"When people go for consultation to boost their businesses or recover lost money, they tell them to bring a white hankie, a wooden box, and a padlock. They tell them to lock the boxes and come after two weeks. They do all this in the darkness, inside the shrine," Mr Nsubuga said of confidence tricksters who pose as traditional healers.
When they go back, the "traditional healers" tell them that money has been accumulated in their boxes and when they open, they find bundles of sometimes up to "Shs30 million".
"After viewing the money, the healers tell these people to close the boxes until when they reach home. They demand Shs5 million as a token of appreciation for the jajjas [or ancestral spirits] to escort them home," Mr Nsubuga said. After paying up, the victims take the boxes but when they reach home and open them they find kiwani of fake papers cut in form of money with only one genuine note on top.
"Some people collapse and when they go back to the shrines they don't find anybody there." In June, more than 10 suspected "traditional healers" in Kampala were locked up by the police for forgery and obtaining money by false pretence.
Taking from banks
Many women are stealing banks by mortgaging people's land to get loans after which they disappear. "They use fake names, titles, present fake husbands and fake stamps of local councils as loan security," Mr Nsubuga said.
Police have arrested Ms Jidah Nakito of Kikulu Zone in Kisaasi for allegedly defrauding micro-finance institutions in this manner. "Nakito has so far conned six micro-finances of over Shs6 million in loans," the police officer said. "Among the micro-finances she has conned are Pride, Faulu, Fao and Hope. She is also facing charges of forgery, uttering false documents and obtaining money by false pretence."
The UN connection
There is no lack of enterprise in the dark world of "tricksterism". Some con men have taken their trade upcountry where they pose as representatives of the World Food Programme.
They tell farmers' associations that they have tenders to supply maize to the WFP.
"They ask money from these associations like Shs5 million saying that they are going to use it to process papers very fast so that they can supply maize to WFP," Mr Nsubuga said. Of course, nothing comes of the deal.
Jobs in Iraq
More than 300 people have lodged complaints with the police in Kampala for allegedly being conned by various firms promising to take them for kyeyo jobs in Iraq. About 1,380 veterans were conned of Shs1 million each last year in this manner.
Police are investigating three firms which have conned people of more than Shs2 billion.
The firms include Uganda Veterans Development Association, which no longer exists at the Baganda Bus Park where it used to operate. The other two firms are Migral Opportunities of Najjanankumbi and International Labour Agencies in Old Kampala.
Said Mr Nsubuga: "We appeal to people to report to police when conned so that they can investigate the suspects very fast."
Con artists arrested and charged
1. Mr Emmanuel Tibaijuka
2. Mr Osbert Agaba
3. Mr Sisto Andama
4. Mr Abud Bukenya
5. Mr Foster Robert
(European)
6. Mr Frank Kamukama
alias Abel Atwine
7. Ms Jidah Nakito
8. Ms Rehemah Namutebi
Kijjambu
9. Mr John Kaba
10. Mr Javira Bernard
11. Mr Ahmed Lukwago
12. Mr Julius Maseruka
13. Mr Tony Mugisha
14. Mr Badru Mukiibi
15. Mr Erias Kibina
16. Mr Robinison Rwabwire
17. Mr Martin Nsereko
18. Mr Herbert Kamukama
19. Mr Richard Kawule
20. Mr Elijah
Semugabi
21. Mr James Mbabazi
22. Mr Fred Damba
23. Mr Nasser Abud Bireke
alias Wakataama
24. Mr Salongo Musoke
25. Mr Lubega, a traditional
healer.
26. Mr Fred Mugisha alias
Kagoro Majoro
27. Mr Rogers Lubega alias
Dr Sulah Kasegwa
28. Mr Allan Mwambo
29. Mr Sam Mukiga
30. Mr Julius Kangave
31. Mr Godfrey Mwasa
32. Mr Med Bwanika
33. Mr Geoffrey Seggayi
34. Mr Abraham
Byaruhanga
35. Mr Emmanuel Rwakana
36. Mr Julius Bagonza
37. Mr Francis Kiggundu
38. Mr Richard Okello
Con artists wanted
39. Mr Siraje Muyesa
40. Mr Hassan Mugoya
41. Mr Hanifah Kasana
42. Mr Haran Mwangu
43. Mr Said Busulwa
44. Mr Charles Akena
45. Mr Joseph Sande
Sempebwa
46. Mr James Iga
47. Mr Yengo Mugumira
48. Mr Emmanuel
Bakumbye
49. Mr Brian Kayemba
50. Mr Angel Lubowa
51. Mr Robert Mugabi
52. Mr Frebo Mutebi
53. Ms Gertrude Nabatanzi
54. Mr Cyrille
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