Police have arrested nine people, including a banker, in connection with stealing $1.8 million (about Shs6.6b) from a client’s account at Stanbic Bank Uganda.
According to Police spokesman Fred Enanga, the suspects have been arrested by the Force’s Special Investigations Division working in coordination with the Fraud Department at Stanbic Bank, Uganda.
“These are scheduled to appear before the Anti-Corruption Division in Kololo in connection with a series of computer system intrusions that gave them unauthorized access to a client’s work where they made an unauthorized transfer of funds amounting to USD 1.8 million,” he told journalists on Monday, 13 February 2023.
Enanga said the suspects in conspiracy with selected Stanbic Bank staff both at Garden City and Freedom City branches compromised the account of Nile Energy and effected transactions in Inter Account Transfers (IAT) and made withdraws using 3 accounts.
He listed the accounts as; Account Number 9030012835107 in the name of Dixon Kagurusi Ampumuza; Account Number 9030021572615 in the name of Petrom Limited and Account Number 9030018628871 in the names of Famane Investments Co. Ltd.
At least 7 cash withdrawals of USD 495,000, USD 287,000 USD 295,000, USD 90,000, USD 60.000, USD 295,000, and USD 495,000 were made by the suspects, purporting to be Mohamed Abdul Hakim Hussein, the Director of Nile Energy while using forged documents, Enanga explained.
“It was also established that Petron Limited belongs to a one Oscar Kyabukasa Lutaaya and Hashur Rahman, as the Directors, while Famane Investments Co. Ltd, is owned by Oman Ghebreyesus, Fiona Dede Bwende and Elijah Daniel Wanzu as Directors, at Freedom City Branch and Garden City Branch,” Enanga said.
For instance, Enanga said, on January 24, 2023, cash amounting to USD295,000 was deposited to Account Number 9030018628871 in the names of Famane Investments Co. Ltd, from Nile Energy Account, which was withdrawn, against a cheque signed by Oman Ghebreyesus and Elijah Daniel Wanzu.
“We want to thank the Management of Stanbic Bank (U), for boldly coming out to fight this kind of bank fraud. Most bank frauds and conspiracies involve bankers and other conspirators, who identify bank customers with high cash balances and steal it, after compromising the accounts thus putting the bank at a huge loss,”
FRED ENANGA, POLICE SPOKESMAN
An additional USD 250,000 was also withdrawn on the same day and Ug.shs.139 million, deposited into Account Number 9030019904244 in the name of Fiona Dede Bwende, who is also a Director of Famane Investments. Another transaction of USD 782,000 was made from Nile Energy to the Account of Petrom Ltd, whose Director Dixon Ampumuza Kagurusi is still on the run. The transfers were made in two installments of USD 495.000 and USD 287.000 respectively and deposited into Account Number 9030021572615 of Petrom Ltd, which was withdrawn immediately.
And on 3.02.2023, a one Tefera Okubalassie Robert an Eritrean Refugee was intercepted with two Inter Account Transfer forms, with a face value of USD 988,200, that was to be effected from the Nile Energy Account and thereafter, credited into an Account Number in the names of Dixon Kagurusi Ampumuza, the Director of Petrom Ltd.
The suspect also had in his possession, a Kenyan Passport Number AK 0849025 in the names of Mohamed Abduhakim Hussein, which prompted the bank to verify with the Account holders, who denied any authorizations. The suspect was arrested and found with USD 4900 and UGX 600,000 in his possession; which was exhibited.
Immediately after, 3 Directors of Famane Investments Co. Ltd, were arrested. Upon interrogation, they admitted to having received the stolen cash, which they used in a Gold transaction of USD 250,000 with Mansoor and Sam Fred. No supporting documents were provided to support the alleged transaction.
Enanga said efforts are also in place, to trace Kagurusi, the Director of Petrom Ltd, who is still in hiding.
So far, he said, 12 suspects have been arrested, out of whom 9 are to be charged to court on 13.02.2023, on charges of causing financial loss and money laundering.
These include; Tefera Okubalassie Robert, who was intercepted with a forged passport and funds transfer form in the bank, Ayusiga Moses, the Branch Manager of Stanbic Bank, Garden City Branch, who allegedly effected the two transfers of USD 287,000 and 295,000 from Nile Energy Account to Petrom Ltd in a fraudulent and illegal manner, Natukunda Brian, a former employee of Stanbic Bank, who introduced Kagurusi Dixon Ampumuza (on the run) to Moses Ayusiga, the 3 Directors of Famane Investments Co. Ltd, namely; Oman Ghebreyesus, Fiona Dede Bwende, Elijah Daniel Wanzu, in who company account number, money was received and Ssekito David, the Manager at Freedom City Branch. Other charges of forgery and utterance of forged documents are being processed.
Enanga said the arrests send a clear and unmistakable message to those who conspire to exploit the banking systems to steal clients’ deposits and services, not to use their positions and user rights, to steal from hard-working citizens and investors.
“We want to thank the Management of Stanbic Bank (U), for boldly coming out to fight this kind of bank fraud. Most bank frauds and conspiracies involve bankers and other conspirators, who identify bank customers with high cash balances and steal it, after compromising the accounts thus putting the bank at a huge loss,” he said.
“We urge all banks and customers to have protective measures and culture in place to identify potential misuse of computer information and alert the Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption Division at CID Headquarters. We also realised that fighting bank fraud requires both the adoption of good practices and genuine partnerships between the Bank and its clients. Better prevention, detection, and recovery of fraud, will help reduce client phobia of their bank deposits and savings,” he added.
