Jinja, (UG):- The territorial police in Jinja have arrested a man in connection with conning residents in Jinja city and the surroundings as well as masquerading as Field Force Unit (FFU) officer attached to Jinja FFU detach.
The key suspect Jackson Mukasa, 40, who popularly identifies himself as Afande Kawo was arrested from his makeshift hideout in Masese, Jinja City and he has been with ill intentions of conning people who mainly seek police tracking services.
Kiira regional police spokesperson SP James Mubi confirmed the arrest saying the suspect went out of luck after stealing a mobile phone and money from a chapati seller at the Jinja city-based landing site of Masese.
“He ran out of luck on August 8 when he allegedly stole an Infinix hot 30 mobile phone and five hundred thousand shillings from the chapati stall in Masese landing site in Jinja city,” Mubi said.
It is reported that the suspect further went ahead to ask for seven hundred thousand shillings from the chapati seller whose identity was withheld and the complainant had to send him the stated amount of money and bought for him a Lyca mobile sim card.
Prosecution-guided investigations into the cases clearly suggest that the culprit has been demanding money ranging from seven hundred thousand shillings to two million from victims on top of asking the victims to buy for him Lyca mobile sim cards.
Police have since preferred a number of charges against the suspect who has repeatedly been demanding money from the victim before taking a decision to report him to a community police station in Jinja city.
“But the suspect kept on demanding money from time to time, prompting the victim to report the matter to Masese community police station. The suspect is currently detained at CPS Jinja Central facing charges of theft of mobile phone and cash, obtaining money by false pretence and personation,” SP Mubi added.
Daily Express has understood that at least 30 people have turned up to complain against the suspect at Jinja Central Police Station, after police appealed to the general public who could have fallen victim to circumstances to report to the station for justice.
Meanwhile, Afande James Mubi has warned people to refrain from dealing with people purporting to be staff in police, saying they have on many occasions tarnished the image of police as well as causing financial losses and frustrations to a number of families.
“Additionally, people should desist from dealing with persons purporting to be police officers in their respective communities. Such people cause a lot of frustrations and cause financial loss to families as well as tarnishing the image of police or security,” Mubi said before asking people to report such culprits to security for further management.
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