A man who has been masquerading as a worker of Senana supermarket to con job seekers of their valuables has been arrested.
The suspect identified as Hashim Ssentongo (25), a resident of Seguku, was caught red-handed at Senana supermarket on Thursday.
It is alleged for several months Hashim had been using various social media platforms, mostly Facebook, to post fake job updates about Senana supermarket located on Buganda road. Hashim would claim he was a worker at the supermarket with connections to get desperate unemployed youth work at Senana.
The victim that led to Hashim’s arrest revealed that he was alerted of a job opportunity by his sister that she had seen on one of Hashim’s many fake Facebook accounts.
He arranged to meet up with Hashim at Senana supermarket. However, when he reached there, Hashim insisted that they hold their meeting on the upper entrance of Senana supermarket. The upper entrance has a pillar which obscures visibility. It is here that Hashim asked the victim for his phone so he could take a passport photo of him to go with his application. The victim consented.
Hashim then excused himself saying he was taking the victim’s application and photo to his bosses.
However, security personnel at Senana supermarket had been monitoring Hashim for several weeks. Management had received complaints from several job seekers who had been conned but they did not have proof that Hashim was responsible.
This time round, a security officer rushed to the victim and inquired if he knew Hashim? This is when reality sunk in for the victim that he had been duped as more security personnel rushed to prevent Hashim’s exit from Senana supermarket.
The manager of Senana supermarket Ismail Byekwaso confirmed the development. He revealed that a case of theft had been reported to them last year and they had been on the lookout. A search in their security recordings had shown them that Hashim was the likely culprit conning people of their money and property.
Deputy Spokesperson Kampala Metropolitan Police Luke Owoyesigyire said that a case of attempted theft would be lodged against Hashim. He further warned the public not to be so gullible to believe whatever they see on social media but always approach these interactions with caution.
