KAMPALA– The Uganda Police Force- UPF has warned the public against sharing old and fake videos depicting violent crimes in Kampala Metropolitan areas.
While addressing Journalists in the weekly security briefing, Police Spokesperson SCP Fred Enanga has said there is a tendency especially on social media of sharing fake or recycled videos of violent attacks in Kampala with intentions of causing panic to the public.
He said that despite having a peaceful environment in which no attack has happened in the last weeks, several videos are circulating showing violent attacks against members of the public.
“There is continuous recycling and creation of fake videos which are shared on social media. Others get videos of violence from other countries and using Artificial Intelligence-AI they create deep fake videos and try to customize them as those happened in the country. We warn the public against this habit,” Enanga said.
In one of the videos that circulated last week, a man was being attacked in broad daylight along Buganda Road, before police clarified that the incident happened in 2022 and suspects involved were arrested and are currently on remand.
“We are aware the perpetuators aim at stocking fear and panic among the public but we want to inform the public that the police hasn’t registered a flying kick attack or ride along boda-boda attack for more than two weeks but we notice there are negative elements sharing these videos,” SCP Enanga added.
Police said many other videos are either being recycled or created using Artificial Intelligence before being circulated on social media platforms.
There has been a wave of violent attacks by gangs that target members of the public walking on foot. The gangs in groups approach their victims from behind and then strike them with flying kicks before robbing them.
In other incidents, the gang pretend to be boda-boda riders and carry the passenger while communicating to their colleagues, who follow them before robbing the unsuspecting passengers in the night.
Police have since assured the members of the public that they have stepped in, and most of the gang groups have been apprehended to curb these violent attacks. At least 30 criminal gang members behind the wave of violent attacks in Kampala Metropolitan Areas were arrested by Flying Squad and Crime Intelligence, charged and remanded last week.
