Kampala, Uganda: The Police in Kampala Metropolitan have dismissed as untrue a report by a local newspaper that falsely linked the arrest of an American woman found in Ggaba to espionage, saying there is no evidence of such claims from the authorities.
In a page-long statement released Monday, August 11, ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, Deputy Police Spokesperson, clarified that whereas the reporter of the said publication contacted him for a comment on the detained American national, he never stated that the suspect, Mary Grace Miller, was “linked to an espionage-related racket.”
Mr Owoyesigyire explained that the arrest of Ms Miller stemmed from a viral TikTok video showing a white woman collecting plastic bottles in Ggaba, prompting social media speculation that she had been scammed and was trying to survive through odd jobs.
“For clarity, Police at Kabalagala acted after a TikTok video went viral in early August 2025, showing a white woman collecting plastic bottles in Ggaba. The video was accompanied by claims that she had been scammed and was now surviving by selling the plastics,” he stated, adding that police traced the woman, only to identify her as Mary Grace Miller, a 64-year-old American teacher who reportedly came to Uganda in September 2022 for a spiritual journey.
Miller’s visa, according to Mr Owoyesigyire, expired in December of the same year, and while she had around UGX 20 million for living expenses, all of which became depleted and she ended up staying at an acquaintance’s home in Bunga, from where she went to attend prayers at Ggaba Catholic Church.
Police found no evidence she was scammed and that upon consulting the American embassy, Ms Miller has since been handed over to authorities. “She was briefly detained while Police consulted with the Directorate of Immigration and the US Embassy, and she has since been handed over to Immigration for further management.”
ASP Owoyesigyire demanded that the government-owned publication retract the espionage claims, citing damage to the victim’s reputation and the article’s inaccuracy. “We appeal to the New Vision to retract the false espionage claim, as it not only misrepresents the facts of the case but also unfairly tarnishes the image of the victim by branding her as a spy.”
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