The Ministry of Internal Affairs, working alongside intelligence and investigative agencies, has initiated a search for two individuals accused of defrauding Ugandans of approximately UGX 934 million in a job scam promising lucrative employment opportunities in Israel.

According to reports from the ministry’s anti-human trafficking department, 43 Ugandans fell victim to the scheme, each paying UGX 22 million in hopes of securing well-paying jobs abroad.

The alleged fraudsters, Jackline Mbulateire and Andrew Sekimuli, are said to have operated under the guise of an online travel and recruitment agency, Akia Guest Tours Limited.

The company, which falsely claimed to recruit workers for the Israeli government and various European countries, listed its location near Lubaga Cathedral. However, despite thorough searches by crime intelligence and detectives, the company’s actual premises could not be located.

Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson, stated that security forces have intensified their efforts to apprehend Mbulateire and Sekimuli after the defrauded individuals approached the ministry seeking help to recover their money.

The victims were lured by the promise of jobs in Israel that allegedly offered a monthly salary of UGX 22 million. After collecting the money, the fraudsters vanished without a trace.

“These people were promised to get lucrative jobs in Israel, earning 22 million shillings every month. To get the jobs, the fraudsters asked them to pay 22 million shillings each and later disappeared. We have tried to search for these premises but they are nowhere to be seen at Lubaga Cathedral,” Mundeyi said.

Investigations revealed that Mbulateire posed as the manager of Akia Guest Tours Ltd, while Sekimuli presented himself as one of the founders. Further inquiry uncovered that Sekimuli recently obtained a U.S. visa, raising concerns that he may be planning to flee the country.

Authorities have distributed photos of the suspects across various security systems to prevent their escape and are maintaining heightened vigilance to ensure they are brought to justice.

“We have put Sekimuli and Jackie’s pictures in every system to ensure they are arrested and they do not escape their criminal activities. We are searching for them and we have notified our teams to be on high alert,” security indicated.

This scam has emerged amid false claims of job opportunities in Israel, particularly following the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Similar fraudulent schemes surfaced during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leading to more Ugandans falling victim to such scams.