Police arrest 18-year-old man for using fake Facebook identity to rape female job seekers

The Police in Kampala Metropolitan area and Naggalama Division have in custody an 18-year-old man identified as Lubega Ashraf, a resident of Katosi village, Kisoga sub-county in Mukono district, for using a fake identity in Facebook, to lure unsuspecting female job seekers.

SCP Enanga Fred the Police Spokesperson told the press at Naguru on Monday, that after luring the girls, the suspect would rape them.

Lubega allegedly created an online Medical job page, “Medical Scrub Uganda,” calling himself Dr Ronnie, and used it to lure female applicants or job seekers.

The suspect who had no permanent place of abode, mainly operated in the areas of Mukono and Kayunga, where he executed his acts of sexual violence.

“After luring the female victims on Facebook, he would briefly interview them and thereafter schedule or meeting to discuss the terms and conditions. For instance, on 11.03.2023, he interviewed a 24-year-old midwife from Kireka in Kampala district and invited her to Ntunda village, Ntunda Parish in Mukono district, where he turned against her in a busy area and raped her. He was, however, tracked down by the Crime Intelligence and Flying Squad teams and arrested,” said Enanga.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted to having lured, robbed and raped many unsuspecting members of the public, with medical backgrounds, as a result of the Facebook page scam.

The police cyber crime unit, at CID headquarters, is conducting expansive investigations, to establish whether there are other members of the criminal sexual network.

“We would like to warn young girls and adult females to be extra cautious when transacting business or searching for jobs on digital or social media platforms. Job seekers are particularly vulnerable to online job scammers, who create websites. It is, therefore, important to research the employer online, before applying for a job, avoid long meetings with strangers, and never send money to anyone you meet online. It is also crucial to confirm the employer’s identity with an in-person interview or a video call. Once again, we urge job seekers NOT to accept a job solely through email, over the phone or via a chat app,” Enanga added.