In a shocking revelation, high-ranking army and police officers stand accused of orchestrating racketeering and gold scams across Uganda.
The alleged culprits are said to exploit their positions of power, employing both official authority and firearms to intimidate investigators and falsely implicate innocent victims.
One such victim, Nigerian investor Mr. Augustine Nnamdi Onwuvuche, recounts a harrowing encounter with purported State House employees who, under the guise of a presidential directive, coerced him into handing over money to avoid fabricated criminal charges.
The incident sheds light on an alarming trend of collusion between security personnel, public servants, and criminals, engaging in what authorities term as organized crime.
The criminal activity involving the State House was revealed when Mr. Onwuvuche, who was detained against his will, raised the alarm.
This resulted in the arrest of Ms. Harriet Komuhimbo and political advisor Regan Ahabwe from the State House.
These people are currently being prosecuted for criminal trespass and are in jail.
The incident is part of a broader pattern of racketeering and organized crime plaguing Uganda, a situation that has caught the attention of ministers and law enforcement agencies.
Following the 2021 general election, there has been a noticeable increase in these types of criminal activity, especially involving security personnel.
Security personnel have been linked to arbitrary detentions, unlawful roadblocks, and coercion to obtain money from gullible civilians while driving both official and private automobiles.
Disturbingly, Uganda ranks seventh among 54 African countries in organized crime, a significant jump from its 2019 position.
The arrest of senior police officer ASP James Kakana and others in a high-profile robbery case, as well as allegations of military involvement in kidnapping and extortion, highlights the pervasiveness of organized crime within Uganda’s security apparatus.
The situation has prompted calls for stricter measures to monitor officers at lower ranks.
The incidents that have occurred recently involving State House officials, military personnel, and police officers demonstrate how urgently Uganda’s security forces must launch a thorough campaign against organized crime.
As investigations unfold, the victims of these crimes remain caught in a precarious situation, with justice often elusive.
Efforts to get a comment from the State House spokesperson, Sandor Walusimbi, and the UPDF spokesperson, Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, were futile by press time as they did not answer our repeated calls nor respond to our messages.