Police in Kampala have apprehended a former officer who had been illegally deploying himself on roads and extorting money from motorists.
Isaac Newton Ojok, 36, who was previously attached to the counter-terrorism unit, was dismissed from the police force a few months ago due to indiscipline. After his dismissal, Ojok resorted to impersonating traffic officers as a means of earning money.
Ojok would allegedly take advantage of moments when traffic officers had left their posts on Entebbe Road to stop motorists and demand money. He would threaten drivers with express penalty tickets if they did not comply.
His activities reportedly went unnoticed for several months, during which time he continued extorting money from unsuspecting motorists. However, a tip-off on Thursday led to his arrest by the officer in charge of Usafi Police Station. Ojok is now detained at Usafi Police Station, and a case has been registered under reference number 22/19/09/2024.
Incidents of individuals impersonating police officers to extort money from the public are not uncommon. Earlier this month, Jackson Mukasa, 40, from Masese landing site in Jinja City, was arrested for posing as a Field Forces Unit officer and robbing locals.
Mukasa, nicknamed “Afande Kawo,” convinced locals that he could track lost phones and demanded payments ranging from shs500,000 to shs2 million. He also requested Lyca Mobile SIM cards as part of his scheme. His arrest came after a chapati seller reported him for demanding additional money after already receiving shs700,000.