KAMPALA– At least five people have been detained by Kiteezi Police Station on charges of masquerading, as victims of Kiteezi collapsed landfill to get the aid.
The suspects were caught during a headcount of victims last night at the Kiteezi Church of Uganda primary school playground camp, where they attempted to deceive officials and receive basic necessities from the Red Cross and cash donations from well-wishers by falsely posing as landslide victims.
According to Henry Nsubuga, the local Defence Secretary, a group of about 100 unidentified individuals attempted to infiltrate the area, falsely claiming to be affected by the Kiteezi landfill collapse.
Henry Nsubuga explained that since the individuals were unknown in the area, suspicions arose, prompting them to notify security personnel. As a result, a few suspects were apprehended, while the majority fled upon citing the police arrival.
“The impostors were aiming to blend in with the affected community to receive essential supplies and also get their names listed by the Prime Minister’s office for potential compensation.” Nsubuga said.
Joseph Musoke Mukibi, a resident of the camp, revealed that many of the impostors hailed from nearby areas such as Kasangati, Lusanja, Kalerwe, and Mpererwe, and were seeking to exploit the situation for personal gain, taking advantage of free resources intended for genuine victims.
Residents at the camp are expressing dissatisfaction with the registration process conducted by Red Cross and Prime Minister’s office officials, alleging that they are indiscriminately registering individuals without thorough verification.
But John Cliff Wamala, Spokesperson for the Red Cross, the organization has successfully registered and is providing support to more than 150 households at the camp. However, he stressed the importance of strengthening security protocols to prevent such cases.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, has confirmed the arrest of five people last night. Meanwhile more than 25 bodies have so far been retrieved in the ongoing joint rescue operations being conducted by Police, KCCA, Red Cross and Ministry of Transport and works.
