Busia RDC warns money changers against conning clients

Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mathew Tusubira, the Busia deputy resident district commissioner-RDC has warned money changers operating at Busia border over fraudulent acts while exchanging currencies for their clients.

He says that they have registered several complaints from traders and travelers who were conned by the money changers in the process of exchanging Ugandan currency to Kenyan currency.

Tusubira says that the money changers are now being considered as conmen at Busia border, because they use counterfeit cash that they give clients. Also when clients go to exchange the money, they are given less to what is supposed to be given.

“This is especially when they realize that your ignorant of the exchange rate used to buy or sell the currency you have or if you are not conversant with the foreign currency in which you want to exchange to,” he said. “These money changers give you counterfeit and disappear. This has portrayed a bad image to we as heads of security assigned to monitor the border.”

Tusubira says that they have plans to re-organise the money changers by putting in place proper leadership and ensuring that they all be in one uniform having their names for easy identification.

The RDC has also appealed to travelers and traders using the Busia border to use forex bureau offices at customs or banks to exchange their money to different currencies as they plan to re-organise the money changers.

Melvin Achieno, a fish monger says that he has severally been given counterfeits by the money changers at Busia border whenever he crosses to buy dry fish in Busia Kenya fish market. The traders have a challenge that most of the money changers don’t put on uniform making it difficult to identify one who conned you.

William Musobya, a second hand clothes hawker in Busia town says that on Sunday he lost 20,000 Kenyan shillings after being given counterfeit Kenyan currency. He says that he realized that the money was fake when he reached the Kenyan market and traders wanted to arrest him. Musobya says that survived arrest by running away.

He appealed to “security operatives” at Busia one stop border post to come out to clean up money changing business by arresting those conning people.

Faizo Lubale, the chairman of money changers wearing white uniforms operating at Busia border entry point admits having few members with fraudulent tendencies and says that they have a policy that if one is reported for having conned a client, he is given a suspension and if the act is repeated 3 times, this attracts expulsion and being banned from operating in the area.

Didas Byaruhanga, the Busia district police commander says that they have a challenge that most of the cases are not being reported to police. He says that in the few cases reported, the suspects were apprehended and charged with theft. He appealed to whoever gets conned by money changers to report to the nearest police for immediately action.

*****

URN