Patel Hitesh Shantilal, an Indian expatriate working for Steel and Tube industries is being hunted by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) for stealing over $150,000 from a subsidiary in Burundi.

The company published a notice of the warrant of arrest for the criminal in East African Newspaper 6 days ago indicating and informing the general to desist from dealing with Patel on behalf of Steel and Tube.

Without mentioning details, the notice says Patel had caused substantial financial loss to his employer before absconding from duty.

“This serves to inform the general public that the person whose photograph appears above absconded from duty and disappeared after causing substantial financial loss to his employer. He is now wanted by police/Interpol and therefore not authorized to conduct any business on behalf of the company.  Whoever deals with him does so at their own risk,” reads the newspaper notice.

The International arrest warrant number 0031/2022 was issued by the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Burundi showing Patel’s passport number Z3240877 and case reference number 2022/16477.

DETAILS

The newspaper notice became a subject of our investigation why the warrant of arrest would be issued in Burundi yet the criminal worked for Steel and Tube, a Ugandan company.

This website has since established that Patel was appointed general manager of Steel and Tube outlet located in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura at Asiatic Market.

Because of the demand for its quality products, Steel and Tube has since opened subsidiaries in all most all East African Countries.

The theft according to case records happened in 2022 and therefore remains unknown why the company chose to issue a warning a year later.

The payment estimated to be over $150000 ended up in Patel’s pockets before he absconded from duty and eventually disappeared.

It should be remembered that the proprietor of Steel and Tube Joseph Yiga employs 80% of Indians who occupy senior positions leaving the less influential to Ugandans.

Defending his decision, Mr Yiga told President Museveni that Indians steal less compared to Ugandans.

Credit: Trumpet News