Police arrest two for impersonating flying squad operatives

The commander of the Flying Squad unit Mr Hebert Muhangi (R) parades the suspects before the journalists at Kampala Central Police Station. Photo by Joseph Kato

KAMPALA. Police in Kampala have arrested two men for allegedly obtaining money by false pretence.
Haruna Katumwa and Adiya Jaluwa were arrested for allegedly disguising as security officers under the police’s Flying Squad unit before extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public.
Mr Hebert Muhangi, the commander of the Flying Squad unit in charge of cracking down notorious criminals, said he had received several complaints about his officers conning the public.
“There are several people who have come to my desk claiming that they had been defrauded by officers under my unit. I decided to launch a secret investigation until I landed on these impersonators,” Mr Muhangi said.
According to Mr Muhangi, the two suspects would threaten their victims with arrests claiming they (the victims) had been named in capital offences.
“They were using threats, forged identity cards and handcuffs to extort money from businessmen and other unsuspecting members of the public,” he added.
The suspects, who are being detained at Central Police Station, are face charges of impersonation, forgery, obtaining money by false pretence and conspiracy to committee a felony.