Police in Kampala have arrested a man for faking an amputated hand to generate sympathy and money from people.
Shafik Bakulu Mpagi had set up space at the entrance of Mukwano Arcade in downtown Kampala where he was making a killing off an ‘amputated hand’, but his business was abruptly ended when a close friend bumped into him while on begging duty.
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According to Kampala Metropolitan Police, Bakulu’s friend ran to police to report that the beggar has both hands in place.
Police rushed at the scene and ordered him to remove the cloths he had covered his hand with and all the bypassers were shocked.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said Mpagi has been covering his hand with dirty rugs faking to be amputated in order to collect as much money as he can from the unsuspecting sympathisers.
"There are a number of people that pretend to be needy through begging on the streets just the same way as Mpagi has been doing therefore kind hearted and well meaning people are in danger of being misled," Owoyesigyire said.
Mpagi revealed that he had been into the begging business for three months saying he was earning Shs 20000 everyday especially from areas of equatorial Mall and Mukwano Arcade and attributed this act to joblessness.
Mpagi a resident of Kisenyi, Muzana Zone is currently detained at Mini Price Police Station and charged with public nuisance vide SD 21/24/06/2018.
Police were responding to a spike in the number of fake beggars operating in the city.
