Police in Uganda have arrested four suspects in Iganga for allegedly defrauding members of the public by impersonating First Daughter Natasha Karugire on social media platforms.
The suspects — Ashraf Isabirye, Rahman Mulondo, Zubail Kakaire, and Sharif Egesa — were apprehended following an investigation into reports of fraudulent activity involving fake TikTok and WhatsApp accounts.
Addressing the media on Monday at Uganda Police headquarters, police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said the suspects allegedly used the counterfeit social media profiles to solicit money from individuals seeking financial assistance.
“When this matter reached us, we swung into action as security forces and arrested Ashraf Isabirye, Rahman Mulondo, Zubail Kakaire, and Sharif Egesa,” Rusoke said.
He explained that investigators used specialized cybercrime tracking capabilities to locate and arrest the suspects in Iganga. During the operation, police recovered several mobile phones and multiple SIM cards believed to have been used to carry out the alleged scam.
“We found them in possession of a number of SIM cards and phones, which we suspect were being used in the scam,” Rusoke said. “They will be produced before court and charged with cyber fraud and impersonation-related offenses.”
Rusoke also warned the public to remain vigilant against online scams, cautioning against making payments through social media platforms.
“Never pay registration or processing fees via social media. It is a very loose platform, and you can easily fall victim to scams,” he said.
Police said the suspects will be formally charged in court as investigations continue.
