A policeman in Masaka is being investigated for identity theft and fraud.
Corporal Robert Komakech of Masaka Central Police Station is accused of using a stolen ATM card to withdraw .16 million shillings from an account at Centenary Rural Development Bank.
Haruna Isabirye, the Masaka District Police Commander, says the matter came to his attention when a businessman, Herman Sserunjogi, reported the disappearance of the money from his account. The money went missing on May 26th last year.
The stolen ATM card was later traced to Corporal Komakech. He was identified through footage from a security camera at the Centenary Bank ATM point.
Nsubuga Mubiru, the Centenary Bank manager in Masaka, says it is advisable for customers to change their ATM pin numbers and to keep them secret in order to protect them from fraud.
But the southern regional police commander, Andrew Sorowen, says this is not enough. He is challenging the banks to upgrade their systems in order to ensure that ATM cards that are lost cannot be reused or misused.
