Shs19b lost in cyber fraud in Uganda in 2022 – report

A total of Shs19.2b was stolen in cybercrime in Uganda in 2022, the latest Annual Crime report released by police indicates.

According to the report released on Wednesday in Kampala, there was a general increase in cybercrime from 256 cases reported to police in 2020 to 286 cases reported in 2022, giving a 10.8% increase.

These cases include hacking into bank and mobile money accounts, among others.

However, Shs16.79b was recovered.

According to the report, 45 of the reported cases were taken to court, 09 cases were not proceeded with while 232 cases are still under inquiry.

Out of the total cases taken to Court, 05 cases secured convictions, 01 case was dismissed while 39 cases are pending in Court.

The general police reported an increase in crime. The Inspector General of Police, Mr Martins Okoth-Ochola, attributed the increase in the general crime to the full opening up of the economy after the Covid-19-induced lockdowns.

“In 2022, we note that there was an 18 percent increase in the number of crimes reported to Police from 196,081 cases reported in 2021 to 231,653 cases mainly due to the full opening of the economy after the Covid-19 lockdown and growing confidence to report crime to police,” IGP Ochola said.

A total of 13,207 cases of Economic and Corruption Crimes were reported to Police in 2022 compared to 11,023 cases in 2021, giving a 19.8% increase in this crime category.

Obtaining by False Pretence registered the highest number of cases in this crime category in 2022 (10,652 cases), followed by forgeries with 804 cases and counterfeiting with 388 cases.

By the end of 2022, out of the total cases of Economic and Corruption Crimes reported to Police, 2,649 cases were taken to Court, 942 cases were not proceeded with, while 9,616 cases are still under inquiry. Out of the total cases taken to Court, 303 cases secured convictions, 03 cases were acquitted, 16 cases were dismissed while 2,327 cases are still pending in Court.

The Director for Criminal Investigations, Mr Tom Magambo, listed strategies aimed at reducing crime as Digitalisation of their investigation processes, Recruitment of more detectives and training of detectives to stay ahead of the criminals.