By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
Criminal Investigations Department (CID) detectives in Kampala have arrested a 43-year-old Chinese National on allegations of fraud by Acclaim Sports Fraud.
The suspect is Yinghe Chen, a resident of UCB Zone in Bukoto 1, Nakawa Division in Kampala.
Polly Namaye, the deputy police spokesperson says the arrest follows an interagency investigation by the National Cyber TaskForce into allegations of fraud by Acclaim BLQ Sports SMC, with its five (05) subsidiary companies.
Last year, over 6000 Ugandans recorded losses after they were dubbed into a lucrative online sports betting company, Acclaim BLQ Sports SMC also known as BLQ.
An estimation of over 4.5 billion shillings loss was made by Ugandans who in awake of one morning after realizing that they couldn’t log into their personal accounts registered on tbe company account to carry on transactions.
The highly attractive BLQ operated under the slogan ” You lose, You win” which is believed to have attracted many people to the online betting company.
The incident generated public interest about fraudulent foreign companies illegally operating in Uganda prompting a team of National Cyber Taskforce and Financial intelligence authorities such as CID, Crime Intelligence (CI), ISO, ESO, CMI, Bank of Uganda, NIRA, NITA Uganda, Uganda Banker Association, to conduct an interagency investigations.
At least five persons including Yinghe Chen have been arrested in connection with this fraudulent deal.
On 11 May, 2023, police arrested Awori Mary, the wife to Yinghe and the registered Director of Acclaim BLQ Sports SMC, and on 12th June, 2023 three other suspects Akoth Justine Oboth, Achola Mary, and Biira Shamim were arrested on similar charges and were all (four) produced in court.
The deputy police spokesperson said on Friday that Yinghe is under police custody pending court.
“The directorate of CID is working closely with DPP to ensure that Mr Yinghe Chen is produced to court,” Namaye said.
She appealed to members of the public with useful information relating to the investigation to share with the nearest police.
