In an operation led by Old Kampala Police, Kenneth Nkurunugi, a 36-year-old former Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier who currently serves as a military trainer in Juba, South Sudan, was apprehended at Namayiba Bus Terminal in Old Kampala, Zone One, Kampala Central District on October 12, 2023. He was found in possession of counterfeit US Dollars with a total value of $40,000.
Nkurunugi, a resident of Rukungiri, had returned to Uganda for a vacation on August 19, 2023, with plans to go back to Juba on September 19, 2023 but extended his stay in Uganda. The arrest was based on actionable intelligence received by the Kampala Metropolitan Police regarding a man who was carrying a small box containing counterfeit black dollars valued at $40,000.
According to Mr. Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy spokesperson of Kampala Metropolitan Police, the suspect claimed that he intended to transport the counterfeit currency to Juba via Classic Bus. Allegedly, he was contacted by Musa Adam, a resident of Juba, who instructed him to meet an unknown individual in town on October 12, 2023, to receive the package.
The exchange took place near Total Katwe, close to BMK House, where Nkurunugi received the sealed box. He then handed it over to Classic Bus staff at Namayiba Bus Terminal before his departure. However, he was called back to retrieve the package, only to find that it had been left behind by the bus. This led to the intervention of the police officers, resulting in his arrest.
Upon inspection, it was confirmed that the money in the box was counterfeit black dollars with a total value of USD 40,000. The police are actively investigating the case, and further details will be provided as the investigation progresses, as stated by Mr. Owoyesigyire.
