Mark Andrew Asiimwe, a businessman residing in Bwera Mpondwe, Kasese District, has been handed a five-month jail term at Luzira Prison after being found guilty of attempted fraud and impersonating Events Manager Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi. The sentence was pronounced by Magistrate Sanura Nambozo of the Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife Court Grade on Tuesday, June 18th, 2023, following Asiimwe’s own admission of guilt.
According to State Attorney Judith Nyamwiza, Asiimwe falsely presented himself as Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi on Facebook between January 2023 and July 2023 in the regions of Kampala and Kasese. He allegedly solicited funds from his victim, John Twinomugisha, under the pretense of supporting the MK Girl Child project, which, as it turned out, did not exist. The MK project is associated with the political pressure group, MK Movement, with Balaam serving as the Vice Chairperson for the Western Uganda region. Asiimwe attempted to unlawfully gain 49,000 pounds from Twinomugisha through this deception.
Upon discovering the fraud, Twinomugisha sought confirmation from the real Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, who denied any involvement in the supposed campaign. The matter was reported to the CID headquarters, leading to Asiimwe’s arrest. The Police retrieved communication evidence between Asiimwe and Twinomugisha, including his Huawei mobile phone, Airtel sim card, and national Identification Card, which were used as exhibits during the investigation.
During the court proceedings, Asiimwe accepted the facts presented by the Magistrate and pleaded guilty. The State Attorney, Judith Nyamwiza, argued for a maximum sentence of two years for personation and a fine not exceeding 360 currency points (equivalent to 7.2 million Shillings) or imprisonment for up to 15 years, or both, for the attempted electronic fraud charge. This, she emphasized, would serve as a deterrent to potential hackers and computer wizards engaging in similar offenses.
Asiimwe, who had no legal representation, appealed to the court for leniency, expressing remorse for his actions. He explained that he had responsibilities, having moved his mother from Mbarara to Bwera and secured a job for her as a cleaner. He claimed that he will not repeat such crimes in the future and sought a sentence of community service. Furthermore, he highlighted his health condition, having keloid, which causes his head to swell when his hair is shaved, a requirement in prison.
In her ruling, Magistrate Sanura Nambozo considered Asiimwe’s remorseful demeanor, lack of prior criminal records, and the State’s plea about the prevalence of similar offenses in the country. Taking all these factors into account, she sentenced him to a five-month imprisonment term.