By Guest Writer
September 2024 and February 2025, Ernest Edengel used his communication device(s) to target unsuspecting individuals with promises of non-existent job opportunities and scholarships.
To execute this evil scheme undetected, the 26-year-old teacher used SIM cards registered in other people’s names to make calls, solicit and receive illicit mobile money payments. Vulnerable teachers, health workers, and farmers were some of his victims.
At the Makindye Chief Magistrate Court on Tuesday, Edengel faced his day of reckoning. He pleaded guilty of impersonating former Agule County MP, Hon. Francis Mukula, to defraud several members of the public.
Edengel, who has been in prison since May 6, 2025, used a mobile phone to impersonate the MP. Targeting unsuspecting victims in Luweero and Pallisa districts, the convict promised government jobs and scholarships in exchange for money.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), whose Litigation and Prosecution team prosecuted the case, welcomed the conviction, describing it as a major victory for consumer protection and digital security.
Edengel was convicted on three counts:
- Fraud upon a Customer, contrary to Regulation 110(b) of the UCC Licensing Regulations, 2019.
- Obtaining Money by False Pretence, contrary to Section 285 of the Penal Code Act.
- Using Another Person’s SIM Card for an Illegal Purpose, contrary to Section 29 of the Regulation of Interception of Communications (RICA) Regulations, 2024.
This last charge is particularly significant, highlighting a direct link between fraudulent activity and the illegal use of a registered SIM card.
Presiding over the case, Chief Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu sentenced the convict to three years imprisonment for each of the counts, to be served concurrently.
In her ruling, the Magistrate agreed with UCC’s submissions, articulated by lawyers Dr Abudu Sallam Waiswa and Kevin Bakulumpagi, that the offences were deliberate, exploited the identity of a public figure to target vulnerable people, and that such crimes were regrettably on the rise, causing significant financial loss and distress to unsuspecting Ugandans.
This ruling underscores the grave consequences of electronic fraud and the misuse of SIM cards and serves as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to safeguard the integrity and security of the digital ecosystem.
Tips on safe and lawful SIM card handling
- Under the Regulation of Interception of Communications
Act 2024, every Ugandan has a duty to ensure that any SIM card registered in their name is not used for illegal purposes. - Never give your National ID card to someone else to register a SIM card. You bear the legal risk for any criminal activity conducted using that number.
- If your phone or SIM card is lost or stolen, report it to your telecom service provider and the Police immediately to have it deactivated.
- Be extremely cautious of unsolicited calls or messages promising employment, scholarships, or financial windfalls in exchange for an upfront payment. Always verify the identity of the person making the offer through independent, official channels–story picked from UCC news blog. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
