Tourism police has arrested a man accused of defrauding American couple of thousands of dollars.
Micheal Ahabwe, the Director of Mushra Travel Agency was picked up by police on Friday in an operation spearheaded by Uganda Tourism Board Quality Assurance Manager, Samora Semakula. He was picked up Friday morning near his home in Lubowa.
It is the first of its kind as a joint committee force of UTB, Tourism Police and the Association of Uganda Tour Operators.
According to UTB spokesperson Sandra Natukunda, they were tipped off by a facebook post by a one Hope Nankunda.
According to Nankunda, Ahabwe and Mushra Travel Agency received thousands of dollars from a kind family that came all the way from Boston to tour Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.
The couple came with their two children and were meant to be in Uganda for 15 days after planning for trip for months.
When they got here, the operators disappeared in thin air.
“To you Uganda Tourism Board, Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities-Uganda and Uganda Police Force
I think it’s only fair that these people receive justice.
The case has been reported at Rubirizi Police Station under Reference No. 08/24/01/2019 and I am also following up with the Tourism Police but I would appreciate it so much if the Tourism fraternity can stand and speak against this kind of act,” Nankunda posted on Thursday. “My friends are stuck in Queen Elizabeth National Park at Enganzi Lodge. They had all paid for Gorrilla permits to access Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and now they have no idea how to go forward. Yet it’s a lot of money.”
The money was meant for various activities, hotels as well as transport around the country.
“Apparently it’s not the first time they are frustrating clients but we can’t allow such to continue happening.
If you are in position to help, please this is the moment to save someone.”
UTB’s Natukunda says the arrest comes at a time the board is taking strong intervention to curb crime in the sector.
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