Police cyber team probes loan scam affecting over 6,700 people

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police forensic and cyber teams are probing circumstances under which more than 6,700 people including police officers and teachers lost their money in loan scams over the last one year.

It is alleged that the police officers, teachers and other public servants were cheated by eight officials attached to the Public Service Ministry in connivance with renowned Micro-finance credit firms.

The Criminal Investigations Directorate –CID learnt about the scam after dozens of police officers and over 500 teachers complained that they were being forced to service loans they didn’t borrow.

According to investigators from CID, some police officers received Shillings 3 million while the teachers received Shillings 4 million on their accounts which they were forced to withdraw and hand to people claiming to be from the Public Service Ministry.

“It was around midday when 4 million Shillings was deposited on my account. As I was still wondering how and who had deposited the money on my account, I received a call from someone who said she was from the ministry of public service. She told me to withdraw the money give it to her,” a teacher told detectives.

According to the complainants, one of the masterminds of the scam they identified as Hellen would pick the money. However, the victims were shocked when banks started deducting their salaries on grounds that they had loans.

“I had not applied for any loan. I was shocked when messages came on my phone that my salary had been deducted to clear part of the 4 million Shillings that I had acquired. It was when we raised the matter to our seniors and later CID,” a policeman said.

The CID spokesperson Charles Twine declined to comment on the matter, saying it might jeopardize their investigations.

However, Uganda Radio Network- URN understands that the cyber and forensic police teams have received documents, laptops and details of electronic transactions of the implicated officials from the Public Service Ministry.

“This was well-calculated fraud and we had to include forensic, cyber and handwriting experts in order to establish whoever was involved. We have so far interrogated a number of officials at public service ministry,” a detective said.

URN has also learnt that the Public Service Ministry Permanent Secretary, Catherine Birakwate has already written to the Inspector General of Police, Martin Ochola and CID Director, Grace Akullo to confirm whether the investigation is indeed in progress.

“Ms Birakwate was not aware of our investigations. When she heard about it, she wrote asking whether it was true that some of her officials were behind the scam. We indeed confirmed to her that it happened and we gave her the list of people we are suspecting,” a CID source said.

At least five officials from the Public Service Ministry have been interrogated and released on bond. Besides, a number of banks and micro-finance officials suspected to have been involved in the scam are being interrogated in intervals.

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URN