Police confirm arresting Poor youth member Ssebuguzi for blackmailing IGG

Police have confirmed arresting, Ben Ssebuguzi, the Secretary General for the Poor Youth Movement, the Nile Post has learnt.

Early this week, members of the group announced Ssebuguzi’s disappearance after allegedly being kidnapped by unknown gun men and detained at an unknown place.

“Ssebuguzi was kidnapped from his work place by unknown people. The thugs that picked him purported to be working for BOU and took him while beating him up,” posted Isa Kato, the national coordinator of the Uganda Poor Youth Movement.

However, a statement released by the deputy police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango indicated that Ssebuguzi had been arrested over blackmail and extortion.

“Police has arrested two suspects in connection to various allegations and are currently detained at SIU Kireka. The two suspects are Ben Sebuguzi and Lillian Mukiibi, belonging to Youth Power Research Uganda, an illegal organisation which is not registered according to the laws of Uganda,”Onyango said in a statement.

“The holding charges are threatening violence, blackmail and extortion.”

Police says using their alleged illegal organisation, the duo have been using illicit methods including blackmail and threatening violence to obtain money and information from key personalities in the country.

“The most recent incident was one where they demanded information in possession of the IGG, Ms Irene Mulyagonja to be released to them, if not they would do something she would regret. The IGG raised a complaint to Police and Director CID began investigations that led to their arrest.”

The police mouthpiece said the duo is likely to appear in court next week but asked the public with vital information about the group and its members to report it to police.

The Poor Youth Movement national coordinator Isa Kato however expressed concern that their member could have been arrested over what he termed as his overzealous fight against corruption but asked Ugandans to join the fight against the vice.

“This is a fight we must all join. The corrupt and despicable thieves are finishing all Ugandans especially those that come out to speak for the rest of us,” Kato said.

The Poor Youth Movement became prominent in the months preceding  the 2016 general elections when they came out and claimed to be a group of NRM youths  fighting against injustices both within the party and the country at large.

They would later publicly swear allegiance to   former NRM Secretary General and former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi whom they said backed to become the next president  and they organised a number of protests in the city.