KAMPALA, UGANDA: A video of Kampala street vendors who appeared on NBS TV’s Investigative story Monday evening is the talk of the town as many Ugandans how the group of vendors gang up to steal from people in a smart money swap business.
In a 23-minute video that aired on NBS TV’s Live at 9 Bulletin and KTN News in Kenya, the group led by one Wasswa Meddy known to many as ‘Taata Sula’, Journalist Canary Mugume and Jamila Mulindwa of Next Media exposed the racket and how they operate within the city in a day-light robbery of innocent Ugandans.
How this smart gang operates
Disguising as clothing vendors along the Nakivubo channel, the gang that works in a group of about five people including a lady pose with jean trousers targeting specifically male customers with giveaway prices of their merchandise.
As seen in the video, a potential customer (their target) arrives as a normal buyer (or sometimes stopped by one of the vendors) and after a moment of negotiation, a final price is nailed, prompting the buyer to pay.
Just as the buyer pulls out the note to pay the vendor, the gang leader (whom we earlier identified as Wasswa Meddy alias Taata Sula) steps in and tries to dismiss the price at which the vendor is selling his merchandise.
In a blink of an eye, he (Wasswa) then swaps the buyer’s note (whichever amount it may be as long as it is one denomination of a note) with his fake note (or sometimes sh1k note) and asks the vendor to revert the money back to the buyer.
Now, that is the moment the buyer is ‘dupped’ and robbed in a smart way without noticing. Of course, some who notice there and then are able to escape the trap, but the majority have fallen prey to the same trick as seen in the video attached below.
According to the story, it is estimated that the smart group of vendors on a daily basis manage to make at least shs 700,000 in cash with an average of about shs 20,000 from their target victims.
The ring leader who hails in a wealthy mansion with rentals in Ndejje, Wakiso district is said to have been in the business for over 10 years and despite victims having to report to police of the activities of the group, sadly no arrests have been made.
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