Man jailed three years for personating VP Alupo
Sentenced. Solomon Njoki in court last week. Photo | Juliet Kigongo
What you need to know:
- The trial magistrate Caroline Kyoshabire convicted and sentenced Solomon Njoki, after finding him guilty of 13 counts of electronic fraud, forgery, personation, and being found with suspected stolen items.
Buganda Road Chief Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a businessman to three years and six months in prison for personating the Vice President, Ms Jessica Alupo on social media to defraud people.
The trial magistrate Caroline Kyoshabire convicted and sentenced Solomon Njoki, after finding him guilty of 13 counts of electronic fraud, forgery, personation, and being found with suspected stolen items.
While sentencing him, the magistrate considered the fact that Njoki had no previous criminal record, has a daughter to look after, his ill health and was a productive citizen of this country before his arrest.
Although Njoki told court that he made an attempt to reconcile and compensate his victims, the court held that he wasted court's time by pleading not guilty and was not remorseful throughout the trial.
“I also note that the offenses of electronic fraud, fraud, personation and uttering false documents are rampant hence the need for deterrence sentences to send a clear message to the other would-be offenders,” Ms Kyoshabire held.
She added: “More so, what I find very grave is the fact that the convict had the audacity to personate the vice president of Uganda and to forge a national identification card. In the light of the above in count five of electronic fraud, the maximum sentence is 15 years or a fine not exceeding three hundred and sixty currency points or both.”
The magistrate further held that although the law provides for an option of a fine, it will not serve the purpose thus sentencing Njoki to 42 months in prison.
Prosecution led by Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) lawyer, Mr Kenneth Lenox Sseguya asked the court to impose a deterrent sentence against Njoki to send a message to other fraudsters.
It was prosecution case that Njoki in January 2021 and January 2022 at Kizungu Zone in Kasese District knowingly and deliberately using a computer for fraudulent schemes, without authority created a Facebook and Twitter account in the name of the Vice President and used it to send deceitful messages to Winifred Akoli, Celestine Amongin, Derinah Atuhwere, Robert Natamba, Jude James Munigwa and Francis Edim and caused them to send money on telephone 0785201344 registered in the names of Sam Mugisha.
