The Police in Kampala Metropolitan have arrested one Mugenyi William, a 17-year-old senior three student of Kapeka SSS in Nakaseke District over the alleged trafficking of 170 youths whom he conned money amounting to over 13 million shillings.
Mugenyi reportedly harboured the unsuspecting victims at the home of a 28-year-old woman in Nampunge village, Kakiri sub-county in Wakiso District on the promise of taking them to Kenya for various employment opportunities.
Police Spokesperson SCp Fred Enanga confirmed yesterday that the 17-year-old Mugenyi was tracked down and arrested last Monday (September 18, 2023), from Kyondo in Kapeka and he was transferred to Kakiri police division in Wakiso District.
Upon interrogation, Enanga said that Mugenyi admitted to trafficking the youths and that he wanted to extort money from the victims using the name of Humble Company in Kenya as a cover-up.
“There was no connection with the company, and the job advert for waiters, waitresses, coffee parkers and supermarket attendants in Kenya was fake,” said Enanga, adding that the student will be charged with 170 counts of trafficking in persons.
READ HERE: How 17-year-old S.3 student conned Shs13m from 170 youths in fake job scam
Mugenyi’s arrest comes days after the woman who had been acting as his recruitment agent was arrested early this month.
Earlier, police said at least 98 of the victims from Nansana, Kyengera, Bukomero, Butambala, Kasese, Fort Portal and Kyegegwa had each allegedly paid Shs100,000 to the suspects for the jobs. Others had paid Shs50,000 each.
The student was allegedly acting as an agent on behalf of his sister associated with the Humble Company in Nairobi, Kenya.
Both male and female victims had converged at a residence in Nampunge village, Wakiso District, awaiting transportation to Nairobi.
Security operatives said they were tipped off by locals who became concerned about the youths gathered at the home and speaking different languages, an indication that they had been gathered from different areas.
The owner of the home was arrested and has since been slapped with charges related to human trafficking.
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