Police in Kiira Region on Friday confirmed the arrest of 51-year-old Mariam Bahati over allegations of circulating fake US dollars in Jinja City. Bahati is currently detained at Jinja Central Police Station, awaiting prosecution. Her arrest follows dozens of complaints from different individuals who accused her of defrauding them of money in exchange for fake dollars.
Doreen Buuza is her latest victim, who lost money after withdrawing 1.6 million shillings from Opportunity Bank branch in Jinja City.Buuza says that after withdrawing the money, Bahati confronted her with about 20 US dollars, claiming that a bag of money had been abandoned at her home, but she was unable to speak English and was afraid to approach the bank.
Buuza further claims that Bahati convinced her to exchange the dollars at the bank, assuring her that they were genuine currency, which lured her into the trap.Buuza adds that Bahati later lured her to a restaurant along Kyabazinga Way, where she met three other men visibly exchanging unspecified amounts of shillings for dollars.
Seeing these exchanges, Buuza became convinced and handed over her money. However, upon reaching a forex bureau, she was informed that all the dollars were fake.Buuza’s experience is similar to that of Ali Naika, who also lost five million shillings to fake dollar scammers.
In Naika’s case, Bahati allegedly posed as a client who had come to exchange 50 US dollars at a bank and intentionally dropped the money in front of him.After Naika completed his transaction, Bahati—reportedly dressed in a torn outfit—convinced him that she had stolen a bag of dollars from her “white employer.”After gaining Naika’s trust, she allegedly left him holding the genuine 50 dollars while he agreed to help her exchange additional currency.
During this time, Naika reportedly left behind his backpack containing five million shillings.He was later informed by a bank teller that the dollars in his possession were fake and that he had been defrauded by a group of scammers.Bahati is reportedly part of a larger cartel operating outside banks along Alice Muloki Road in the Southern Division of Jinja City.
Following her detention, Bahati allegedly admitted that she works with a team of five other individuals deployed outside banks to monitor clients withdrawing or depositing one million shillings and above.She further claimed that her role involves posing as an ignorant maid working for a wealthy white employer who either abandoned money or passed away.
Bahati also allegedly confessed that the group sometimes drugs unsuspecting victims, leaving them disoriented and more vulnerable to manipulation.She further alleged that those who attempt to withdraw from negotiations in secluded areas are either assaulted or threatened with witchcraft, forcing them to surrender their money.
Kiira Regional Police spokesperson James Mubi said intelligence-led operations had been tracking Bahati, and she was arrested while attempting to flee after allegedly robbing another unsuspecting client outside a bank.Mubi said Bahati was found in possession of fake currency from both South Sudan and the United States.
He added that police also recovered suspected witchcraft charms, travel documents linked to South Sudan, and other items considered evidential.Mubi further noted that Bahati was found using different colored capes while targeting victims inside banking halls, allowing her to conceal her identity for long periods.
He added that the search for her accomplices is ongoing and warned members of the public to avoid quick-money schemes, saying such ventures expose them to criminal elements-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
