Former Busiro South MP aspirant arrested for extorting Shs77m from Chinese businessman

Police in Kampala have arrested Paul Owor, the former Busiro South MP aspirant for allegedly extorting US$22,000(about shs77 million) from a Chinese businessman.

Owor was arrested together with three others including Emmanuel Wandabwa, John Anthony Wapowo and Patel Muketa.

How it happened

Early this week, police together with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture arrested three people including a Chinese in Ntinda in an operation targeting fake agro chemicals.

The Criminal Investigations Division spokesperson, Charles Twine said the group was arrested with agro-chemicals which have been taken to laboratories valued at Shs 500 million.

It is alleged that the group used to repackage agro-chemicals which had been banned in Uganda and resale them on the market.

The three people arrested over the sale of unregistered and expired-agro chemicals Bi Jing Lmi(Chinese), Gilbert Afimani and Wilson Bamulanzeki.

However, after trio’s arrest, it is alleged that Paul Owor presented himself as one of the best lawyers in Kampala and together with his accomplices, they asked for money from the Chinese businessman so as to secure his release.

It is also alleged that the Chinese businessman paid US$22,000 to Owor’s group but it turned out they had conned him since they never secured his release from police detention.

“When the group was pressurised to secure the Chinese businessman’s release or refund the money, they brought themselves to police and admitted to have taken money to secure the release. We then arrested them,” Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire said.

Owoyesigyire said on interrogation, Owor and his group refused to hand over the money given to them but the police mouthpiece said they are still looking for the Chinese businessman, who handed the money to the group.

“The Chinese businessman who sent money to secure the release of his colleague is also a suspect in the case of the sale of unregistered and expired agro-chemicals but had not been arrested during the Police raid. He is on the run but we are still looking for him to get his statement on how and why he gave them money and why he is  dealing in unregistered and expired chemicals,”Owoyesigyire said.