The Uganda Police Force has raised an alarm over a rising wave of fraud involving individuals posing as religious pastors and traditional healers.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Police Spokesperson ACP Rusoke Kituuma revealed that numerous victims have been duped out of their money and property through elaborate schemes orchestrated by these fraudulent figures.
According to Kituuma, police investigations have uncovered a disturbing pattern where con artists disguise themselves as religious leaders to gain the trust of their victims.
“These individuals pose as religious pastors during the day, but at night, they transform into traditional healers. Their places of worship serve as bait to lure unsuspecting followers,” Kituuma stated.
Victims are often persuaded to hand over large sums of money and valuable property, including land titles, with promises of miraculous healing, financial breakthroughs, or divine blessings. In most cases, the deception is only discovered when victims realize no actual intervention has taken place.
“At some point, the victims realize they have fallen for a hoax. But by then, the fraudsters have already disappeared with their money and assets. When confronted, these criminals resort to issuing threats, including death threats, to silence their victims,” he added.
Police have so far identified over 15 suspected fraudsters involved in these schemes. However, authorities are withholding their names while investigations continue.
“We have made significant progress in identifying these individuals. However, we have been advised to refrain from exposing them at this stage as we gather more evidence. Our intelligence teams are digging deeper into their operations to ensure a strong case against them,” Kituuma explained.
Despite the ongoing crackdown, he noted that these fraudsters remain highly active and are constantly targeting new victims. Kituuma urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious individuals engaged in such fraudulent activities.
“These criminals are visiting as many people as possible, preying on gullible citizens who fail to detect their schemes. We caution the public to be wary of individuals who ask for money or property in exchange for spiritual or supernatural interventions,” he warned.
To avoid falling victim, the police recommend that individuals verify the legitimacy of religious leaders and traditional healers before seeking their services.
While no arrests have been made yet, Kituuma assured that law enforcement is committed to dismantling these criminal networks. “At the right time, we shall make arrests and expose these suspects. We want to ensure that all necessary evidence is gathered so that they face the full force of the law,” he emphasized.
The police spokesperson further encouraged affected individuals to come forward and report cases to the nearest police station, emphasizing that their cooperation is critical in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
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