The Ministry of Internal Affairs has successfully arrested one of the notorious conmen responsible for defrauding 42 Ugandans of over 1 billion shillings with promises of overseas jobs.
The suspect, Ssekumuli Andrew, was apprehended in Buikwe after months of evading capture. He was later brought before the Mwana Magistrate Court and remanded to Luzira Prison.
According to Ministry spokesperson, Simon Peter Mundeyi, Ssekumuli, in collaboration with accomplice Jacqueline Bulateye—who remains at large—operated a fraudulent network under the guise of a travel agency.
Akia Guest Tours Limited, based in Lubaga near the famous Lubaga Cathedral.
The duo used the company to lure unsuspecting victims with offers of job placements in the United Arab Emirates.
Each victim was charged a hefty 22 million shillings for visa processing. However, instead of securing jobs abroad.
They ended up falling victim to a broader criminal enterprise. Authorities revealed that the conmen also engaged in a scheme where victims were tricked into selling their passports for between 10 million shillings and 5,000 USD.
This system not only affected Ugandans seeking jobs, but also led to the sale of passports to foreign criminals, including drug traffickers.
Mundeyi confirmed that a significant number of Ugandans, approximately 600, have already come forward to file complaints about the exploitation, which also involved the illegal sale of passports to other foreigners in Dubai.
He further revealed that at the time of Ssekumuli’s arrest, an additional 50 people had fallen victim to the scam.
Authorities are urging the public to be vigilant and to avoid selling their passports under any circumstances. Mundeyi stressed that such fraudulent activities harm the victims and contribute to larger criminal networks.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs continues its efforts to track down Bulateye and dismantle the criminal operation.
