Indian national arrested over kidnapping foreigners

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A joint security team in Kampala has arrested an Indian national, Praful Butan on allegations of orchestrating a kidnap of four Asians.

Butan was arrested on Sunday alongside his alleged Ugandan accomplice, Ignatius Mugumya, on accusation of kidnapping, Akshay Parapati, Sahil Patel, Atul Patel and Kalpesh Vya.

Deputy Kampala police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire said Butan called the victims of Asian origin in the pretext that he had secured jobs for them in Canada. The duo picked the victims at Entebbe International Airport on January 15 but later confiscated their passports.

The quartet was confined at a hotel in Kansanga but later shifted to another in Bweyogerere, Kira Municipality, in Wakiso district. The accused later demanded 50,000 US dollars as ransom in order for the victims released.

Detectives who tracked the the whereabouts of the suspects said that the group has been targeting foreigners particularly those from India. They hoodwink their targets that they have jobs in Uganda or in other countries.

Upon arriving at Entebbe International Airport, Butan and Mugumya create a scenario that their victims have illegally entered the country. They afterwards confiscate their travel documents. This creates fear among the victims and then advise them to buy their freedom. They pressure them to call their relatives to send money for their release.

Owoyesigyire said that the quartet informed their relatives that they had been arrested and wanted money in order to be set free. Relatives in India alerted police in Uganda and a hunt for the kidnappers was launched.

Investigators, accompanied by phone trackers, sighted signals of phones used to call for ransom in Bweyogerere and moved to the exact place spot. Butan and Mugumya were found when they had confined their victims in a hotel room.

Police have since established that Butan and Mugumya successfully moved the quartet from Kansanga to Bweyogerere claiming they were taking them to Entebbe International Airport to take a flight to Canada.

Owoyesigyire said investigations have been expanded to unearth all people who could have been robbed by Butan and Mugumya using the same tricks. Indian community has been urged to always report once they detectives suspicious conduct of their members.

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