Uganda Police has denied reports that it interrogated businessman Charles Mbire over MTN Uganda’s national security breach accusations.
Mbire is the Chairman for the largest telecom company in the country.
In its Saturday issue, New Vision newspaper alleged that ‘Security quizzes Mbire over MTN’.
“Fresh details emerging from MTN have revealed that the telecommunication company chairman has been quizzed over alleged espionage by the company staff. Sources also revealed that several other Ugandan managers have since been interrogated by Police over the security concerns government raised,” the daily reported in parts.
However, Polly Namaye, Deputy Police Spokesperson has described the allegations as false.
In the same vein, Mbire has also dismissed the claim.
Through his lawyers Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA), Mbire said the media reports that he was quizzed by CID and Internal Security Organisation (ISO) are baseless.
“Our client has not been called in by the Criminal Investigations Department or Internal Security Organisation or any other authority at all. The article was written in bad faith and we urge members of the public to disregard it.”
On Thursday, MTN Chief Executive Officer Wim Vanhelleputte was deported by Uganda government on allegations that he was posing a threat to the country’s national security.
“MTN confirms Mr. Wim Vanhelleputte, the CEO of MTN Uganda has been deported from Uganda. MTN has not been notified of the grounds for the deportation and is working hard to establish precise reasons for the deportation.”
According to a letter signed by Internal Affairs Minister Gen Jeje Odongo, Vanhelleputte is to stay outside Uganda indefinitely.
Wim’s deportation brought the number of foreigners to four at MTN that have been showed the exit in the last couple of weeks. The others are Olivier Prentout, Annie Bilenge Tabura and Elsa Muzzolini.
Prentout, Bilenge and Muzzolini were also accused of posing a threat to national security.
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