Two arrested in Kampala with fake driving license

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police at Nasser Road in Kampala have arrested a man and an accomplice, after he was duped sh800,000 and issued a fake provisional driving license.

Emmanuel Ggaazi, a resident of Mityana District who is currently detained at Nasser police post said he approached his friend Moses Ssejjemba when he wanted to get a driving license mid this year.

Ggaazi alleges that Ssejjemba linked him to David Mugisha who claimed to be working at the police’s Inspectorate of Vehicles at Naguru.

“I first got a provisional driving license and I went back to Mityana. However, it expired before I came to be interviewed to get a valid driving license. I talked to Ssejjemba and he told me about Mugisha who helps people to get permits at Naguru. He (Mugisha) gave me a document which police now say was fake and it is why I have been arrested,” Ggaazi said.

Ggaazi was arrested by police officers at Uganda Driver Licensing System (UDLS) offices at the Railway Station along Nasser Road in Kampala. His trouble started after records showed the earlier provisional permit and the latest provisional driving license were not marching.

“We looked at the provisional driving license and our records were not marching. We looked at medical forms and we realized they had been forged and stamped. We handed him over to Nasser police,” a police officer said.

After being detained, Ggaazi was asked to call Ssejjemba and he too was arrested. However, Ssejjemba said he has known Mugisha for a while as a person who works at Naguru IOV offices.

“I helped my friend (Ggaazi) because I knew Mugisha and all along I didn’t know that he was a masquerader. I thought he was a staff of police,” Ssejjemba said after being arrested.

Police have established that Ggaazi has lost over 800,000 shillings in an attempt to get a driving license. Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson has asked people to always deal with recognized government agencies, not middlemen.

“We are now looking for Mugisha to answer charges of fraud and forgery. But this should serve as a lesson to people to stop dealing with middlemen. If you want a service from a government office walk there personally and you’ll be served,” Owoyesigyire said.

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