Hackers breached some DFCU Bank customers’ accounts in Kampala late last month and accessed their money amounting to shs 700 million, TrumpetNews authoritatively reports.
Whereas DFCU top management reported the matter to Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) in Kibuli, Kampala, they have since concealed details regarding the heist.
Through our investigations, we have established that the crime was executed by four junior staff and two outsiders who have since been arrested and are currently in police custody.
The heist occurred two weeks ago but DFCU has kept it a top notch secret for fear of losing clients should the public learn that the customers’ details were compromised.
According to a source in the Bank, the hackers penetrated DFCU’s system in most of the branches in Kampala and withdrew shs 700 million which they shared amongst themselves.
Asked to divulge details and identities of the culprits, our source revealed this would jeopardize police investigations.
Asked for more details, police publicist Fred Enanga referred us to CIID public relations liaison officer Mr. Matthias Twine.
When contacted, Twine neither confirmed nor denied having details but promised to verify and get back to us.
He later reverted and said he didn’t have any case nor a suspect in his custody.
The recent breach of customers’ information leaves doubt among the public that DFCU can fully protect its clients’ details.
The hacking is part of the broader problem DFCU has been facing after it took over Crane Bank which belonged to businessman Sudhir Ruparelia.
The manner in which to took over Crane Bank was described by the Auditor General as “hostile.”
The head of communications at DFCU Rukh-Shana Namuyimba when contacted said she wasn’t aware of any hacking.
“I am not in position to comment because I am not aware of that.”
But multiple sources at the Bank attribute the hacking to cliques that emerged since the appointment of Mathias Katamba as the Bank’s Managing Director after DFCU board temporarily named William Sekabembe as MD but was later dropped.
“We have two factions, one is loyal to Katamba and the other to Sekabembe,” said a source.
We have learnt that Sekabembe’s wing is more powerful and has since harassed those opposed to its boss.
Further, we understand that Sekabembe’s radical loyalists have done a lot more to undermine Katamba’s leadership and it is anticipated that they could have masterminded the heist.
However, this website couldn’t independently verify this claim.
TrumpetNews has since launched an independent investigation into this matter ( shs 700m heist) and will soon publish the findings.
