Man disguised as Parliament staff arrested for extortion

KAMPALA – Man masquerading as a staff of the House was arrested by the Parliamentary police on allegations of fraud and extortion.

Mr Francis Malinga, 47, allegedly approached a government official, and claimed the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has details of his corruption and financial impropriety, and asked for Shs 20 million as a condition to have him let off the hook.

Suspicious, the official alerted the administration at Parliament who in turn tipped off the Police intelligence unit to lay a trap for Mr Malinga.

The official cooperated by requesting the conman to collect the money from a restaurant along Jinja Road in Kampala, from where he was arrested.

The Deputy Clerk for Corporate Affairs, Mr Henry Waiswa, in a news statement asked the public to report anyone improperly acting in Parliament’s name, saying officials should not allow themselves to fall prey to such frauds.

“The staff of Parliament have no mandate to clear or personally handle a matter before a Committee; the Clerk to Parliament urges the public to be vigilant,” Mr Waiswa said in the statement.

Malinga’s trick was to fake a whistleblower’s letter alleging corruption in the official’s entity, saying the same was to be relayed to COSASE, and that the official has a chance to be untagged from the corruption if he pays the Shs20 million.

The public is urged to report any concerns about unethical behaviour by staff or anyone purporting to be a staff of Parliament on telephone numbers 0414377150 and 0414377320.