By Sekaggya Seka Moses
The Territorial Police in Busoga East Region have arrested four key suspects linked to a notorious counterfeit dollar and robbery racket operating across Iganga and Jinja districts.
The arrests followed an intelligence-led operation in Namungalwe Town Council, Iganga District, on November 6th, 2025.
According to ASP Micheal Kasadha, police spokesperson, the gang has defrauded victims of over UGX 30 million in the past month alone.
The suspects lured unsuspecting victims from Kampala, Mukono, and other regions with promises of lucrative foreign exchange deals, only to attack and rob them.
Investigations reveal the gang operated from Kawete Trading Centre and Bulumwagi Village, staging fake exchange businesses.
They showed victims genuine U.S. dollar notes to build trust, then ambushed and robbed them. Police records show at least three major robberies linked to the same syndicate, including:
- On October 27, 2025, Muyingo Christopher Nathan (45), resident of Bunga Church Zone, Kampala, was robbed of UGX 6 million at Kawete.
- On October 28, 2025, Ssemakula Bashir (46), from Mukono, was robbed of UGX 6.9 million in Namungalwe Town Council.
- On October 29, 2025, Okurut Ben (30), businessman from Namayemba, was robbed of UGX 18 million at Bulamagi Sub-county.
During the arrests, police recovered an iPad phone belonging to one of the victims as evidence. The ringleader, Isabirye Juma, confessed that the gang paid community members to protect their operations and obstruct investigations.
ASP Kasadha cautioned the public against engaging in illegal currency exchange transactions and falling for schemes promising “quick profits” or “cheap dollars”.
“These scammers lure unsuspecting victims with fake currency and promises of easy wealth. We urge the public to transact only with licensed forex dealers and report suspicious offers immediately,” he said.
The suspects are detained at Iganga CPS pending charges of aggravated robbery, fraud, and dealing in counterfeit currency, under sections of the Penal Code Act.
Police have launched a manhunt for additional suspects still at large, believed to be hiding within Bulumwagi and Namungalwe.
Locals welcomed the arrests, saying the syndicate had caused fear and insecurity across Namungalwe and Kawete for months.
“We have lost so much money to these fake dollar people. They move around in cars pretending to be business people, but they are robbers. We are happy police have finally acted,” said one trader at Kawete Market.
