‘Immigration Officer’ exposed, escapes from Iganga hospital

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has denied knowledge of a man whose picture is making rounds on social as its staff abandoned at Iganga hospital.

The picture of Wilson Okello has been circulating on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and WhatsApp since Friday with messages claiming that he a staff of the ministry of internal affairs abandoned at hospital after being knocked at Nakalama.

When people started tagging in key officials in the ministry, a team led by Simon Peter Mundeyi, was on Sunday dispatched to Iganga hospital to identify Wilson Okello and offer him financial assistance if he was truly one of the new staff.

Mundeyi and his team arrived at Iganga hospital yesterday at around 8am and went straight to the office of the administrator where doctors confirmed that they had a patient in the name of Wilson Okello in male’s ward on bed number five.

However, when the health workers led Mundeyi and his team to the male ward, they found when the patient had mysteriously disappeared. Upon consulting other patients, it was later discovered that Wilson Okello was tipped by someone that officials from Kampala were searching for him.

Okello allegedly picked his belongings and swiftly left the ward.

“When we reached the ward and Okello Wilson had disappeared, we were prompted to search for people who know him, and we were told that he has been claiming to be our staff deployed at Malaba border,” Mundeyi said.

Upon inquiring at Malaba immigration office, it was discovered that Okello has been a masquerader duping many people especially foreigners that he is a staff of ministry of internal affairs. Okello, according to information provided at Malaba border point, has acted severally acted as a broker for getting immigration documents.

Police in Malaba and Nakalama have since established that Okello has many pending cases related hoodwinking foreigners that he would help them to get the necessary documents. He would ask for money depending on the urgency a person needed a document.

“We have established that Okello Wilson first got admitted at Bugiri hospital where he introduced himself as our staff,” Mundeyi explained. “He, however, left Bugiri hospital after stealing mobile phones and laptops.”

Mundeyi said they have now opened a case at Nakalama and notified other border points and offices to have Wilson Okello arrested on sight. Police have also informed internal affairs officials that they never register any motor vehicle accident at Nakalama where Okello claims to have sustained injuries.

This is not the first time civilians or security officials have duped Ugandans claiming to be workers of immigration directorate. A few months ago, UPDF Captain was arrested after fleecing foreigners of more than 200 million Shillings claiming to be a Major serving in the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC).

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