The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Daniel Ongadia, a resident of Bugembe ward in Jinja City Northern division is behind bars for masquerading as a UPDF officer and robbing money from unsuspecting civilians. He was picked during impromptu police patrols in Bugembe, following a tip-off from concerned residents that he was extorting money from unsuspecting civilians during late night hours.
The suspect was found in possession of a pair of UPDF uniforms, military boots, and a stick. It is alleged that Ongadia has been targeting largely casual laborers, returning from late-night shifts in surrounding factories. He would allegedly stage illegal roadblocks on dark routes connecting to densely populated residential areas where he would intercept his victims.
According to Ongadia, he bought the UPDF uniform from an undisclosed source at Shillings 38,000. He told detectives at Bugembe police station where he is locked up that he was under pressure to formalize his conjugal relationship with his girlfriend, which forced him to resort to illegal roadblocks to get money to finance their traditional marriage ceremony.
“I am financially constrained. My girlfriend threatened to flee from me if I fail to formalize this relationship and I resolved to join my friends in staging illegal roadblocks as a way of raising enough funds for the traditional marriage ceremony slated for 24th December 2022,” he said. According to Ongadia, he failed to raise sufficient funds from the odd job of cleaning compounds.
He needs at least Shillings 3million to finance the traditional marriage ceremony. The Kiira Region Police Spokesperson James Mubi says that the suspect faces charges of impersonation and illegal possession of government stores.
He asked members of the general public to be vigilant by sharing intelligence-related information about suspected criminals, to ease their efforts of bursting all criminal gangs in Jinja city and the district.
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