We must expose conmen, women to protect the public - Part I

There is a growing scourge in the land. Today, we narrate what some conmen have done. But first, I thank Ms Eronie Kamukama whose story was published in Daily Monitor of April 3. She correctly exposed the folly of accepting receipts with the protecting cover “goods once sold are not returnable”.
I agree with lawyers who commented on the story and said that the cover is useless if the goods fail to work or satisfy the contractual purpose for which they were made, displayed or offered for sale.
Regarding conmen and women, the following are few examples. In Ggaba, Makindye, in Kampala, a house owner wished to have a leakage in the base of his toilet system repaired. A conman pretending to be a plumber answered the call and offered what he described as professional advice.
He said the cistern was not only severely damaged but the work involved uprooting the whole structure by breaking the bathroom wall. The victim was a bit suspicious and invited the worker to come and do the work the following day.
The victim then sought the advice of another professional plumber who came and investigated and said that there was a hole in the cistern of the base of the toilet and needed replacement. He offered to replace it with a new one at the cost of Shs60,000 plus Shs20,000 for his labour.
The victim happily agreed and the work, including the price of a new toilet system was completed that very afternoon. The conman had demanded the sum of Shs500,000 for the parts, removal and labour. He turned up early the following morning with his tools to do the work. The tools included a pick axe to break the bathroom wall.
The intended victim took him to the bathroom and told him that the leakage seems to have stopped. The conman said that was only temporary. As he was about to start, the victim told him the truth and showed the conman the brand new toilet which was put in place a day before.
In panic, the conman attempted to run away but he was arrested after by household residents when the victim raised an alarm. He then confessed that his wife was in hospital and needed Shs500,000 for operation. He was later charged by the police with obtaining money by false pretence.
In another incident, a proprietor wished to replace old fixture with the new ones in the house he was constructing. Aware that some workmen cheat on prices, he invited bidders for the task wishing to buy the fixtures himself.
A conman cunningly offered the best terms. The victim explained what he wanted to be done. The conman compiled a long list of requirements. The victim accompanied the conman to the hardware store where they were bought. With instructions of the conman selecting the parts and the victim paid for them. They both carried the parts home in the latter’s vehicle and stored them in the garage of the building.
Two days later, the conman turned up to do the work and when the victim’s employee opened the gate, the conman was holding a huge bag which appeared empty. At 4pm before the victim returned from his usual work the conman said he has finished and as he was leaving, the employee noticed that the same bag was now heavy and the conman could hardly carry it easily. He became suspicious and stopped the conman with a question. What are you carrying in that bag? When he discovered that the bag was containing almost two thirds of what was stored in the garage. The incident was reported to the conman’s employers for discipline.
The crime is equally rampant among some professions, public service and trade. There are many such other stories. We shall narrate them in part two. This story will pre-empt government authorities and citizens to fight this menace.