Uganda’s largest commercial bank DFCU on Monday issued a statement admitting to have hit by fraud in May and reported the matter to Police CID head offices at Kibuli in Kampala.
However, the authorities were quick to attack the media particularly online news outlets for circulating what they termed as “falsehoods” rather than expounding to its clients the magnitude of the fraud and whether it could impact on the operations of the bank.
It is no doubt online news outlets’ authentic reports that compelled DFCU management to issue a brief statement after its communications manager Rukh-Shana Namuyimbwa earlier feigned ignorance on the matter.
“In May 2019, the Bank detected a case of fraud that was immediately reported to the police (CID HDQTRS GEF 604/2019) and investigations are ongoing,” the statement read in part.
The bank claimed: “Unfortunately. reports of this incident have been grossly and maliciously misrepresented in an attempt to damage the reputation of the Bank, destabilise the banking sector and the economy in general.”
But through investigations launched by this website, we first ascertained that a suspect identified as Braise Obuze was detained in June charged with electronic fraud and theft and later given bond on June 29.
New Suspect
TrumpetNews in its investigation has established that another prime suspect who has gone missing is identified as Francis Twinobuisingye Kyakabale who hails from Bushenyi in Western Uganda.
He is among the top suspects who engineered the fraud while operating from outside the bank.
His whereabouts remain unknown.
Further, TrumpetNews has discovered that Braise, isn’t among the suspects but rather an associate of Mr. Francis and his arrest detectives believed would lead to the arrest of Francis whose known phone numbers have been switched off ever since.
“Braise led the investigators to Francis’ home but they were shocked when neighbours said the man shifted long time ago,” said a source at Kibuli.
Braise, during his detention was declared missing by his family as police hoped that his continued incarceration would yield positive results but in vain until authorities at Kibuli decided to offer him bond.
“He is an innocent man. His only crime was to be Francis’ friend,” said a source.
Police has since mounted search for Francis.
Earlier in our report we indicated how the fraud occurred after the Bank’s system was hacked and money amounting to $2.6m stolen.
First the hackers stole shs 700 million from ATM machines.
DFCU had remained tightlipped over the matter until this website broke the news.
The bank shareholders have since been rattled by the news questioning how the information leaks to the media especially online.
