Cyber Gang Hacks Into Gen Saleh’s Email, Attempt to Steal Cash

Four people have been arrested for attempting to steal Ugx 43 Million from the account of General Salim Saleh’s account held at Stanbic Bank Uganda.

The four have been identified as Isima Katende, Mawejje Yahaya,

Mukasa Tukiko, and Ssemwogere Steven.

It is alleged that on 16 April 2021, the suspects hacked into General Saleh’s email account and gave an express instruction to the Bank Manager Stanbic Bank to effect payment on telephone numbers 0704799395, 0707382702, 0750669242 & 0705588790 through the bank to wallet facility.

Upon receipt of the email, the manager suspected fraud because their client (General Saleh) had never transacted in such similar manner and therefore unlikely to be genuine transaction.

Upon verification with General Saleh about the email transaction, he confirmed to the bank that the email was fraudulently sent and instructed that the transaction be cancelled.

Through his Military advisor, a case file was opened at Special Investigations Division (SID) and the investigations commenced until the suspects were arrested.

At the time of arrest, the suspects were found with 613 fraudulently registered Sim-cards and computer laptops that the suspects have been using to defraud other people using similar methods.

The recovered exhibits shall be examined scientifically by experts to establish information that could be potential evidence for other related offenses from previous acts. The suspects have since admitted to having defrauded several people’s accounts from different banks.

Other people arrested were seven Registration Agents from telecommunication companies that were fraudulently registering sim-cards and selling them, contrary to the Simcard registration guidelines issued by the Uganda Communications Commission.

Police says the arrested will be charged to Court on Charges as provided for under the Computer Misuse Act (2011) as well as the Penal Code Act.

“We would like to applaud Stanbic Bank for their resolute, keen and timely intervention of detecting and curtailing this fraud, and we also call upon other banks to dully follow the KYC principle and other forms of due diligence to safeguard their clients’ money,” said Mr Twiine Mansio Charles, the spokesperson of the police CID.