KAMPALA – The police in Kampala Metropolitan area have launched a hunt for the proprietor of Qadar Recruitment Agency, Micheal Karugire, for allegedly collecting more than Ugx800m from Ugandans promising to link them up with foreign employment firms. Qadar Recruitment Agency is based in Kabuusu, Lubaga Division.
Sources revealed that at least 40 out of the more than 300 victims Karugire and his agents had lodged complaints at Old Kampala, Nateete, Katwe, Kajjansi, Kawempe, and Kampala Central Police Stations – accusing Karugire of collecting money and promising them unavailable employment links.
The job seekers who have been duped of at least Ugx5m each narrate how they were promised to get lucrative jobs in Qatar, Canada, South Korea or Turkey.
Some of the victims who were found at CPS and Old Kampala said Karugire opened doors for external employment in September last year and often posted job opportunities on a purported company’s facebook page.
Hassan Ssempijja – one of the victims said he paid Ugx5m and a similar amount for his brother to secure employment in South Korea. Ssempijja said Karugire had assured him of the availability of job opportunities. Ssempijja narrated further how on days when Karugire wasn’t in the office, he would meet Allan Akampurira as both, on separate occasions convinced him to pay the amount.
Marion Namara, another victim, said an agent, whom she later learn’t was Sharon Ndagire had convinced her – revealing details of the said lucrative jobs in South Korea – giving the name of the company that was offering employment.
Namara took time and read about the company and was convinced about the jobs listings on its social media pages. Namara said that she believed that Qadar was a genuine labour export company and had been promised to start work within 18 days.
Patrick Onyango – the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, confirmed the man-hunt for Karugire – saying his escape rate was minimal because various police stations within the city had placed him on its most wanted listed.
The police said the victims would be told to take the money to various banking halls where it could be collected from them by either Karugire or his agents. All the victims were promised to get jobs within 18 days. Police said the agents are still duping more people – warning the public to be careful.
Uganda’s unemployment rate for 2021 was 2.94%, a 0.17% increase from 2020 in a population estimated at 47 million people where over 60 per cent are employable youth.
