By Gad Masereka
Court at Buganda Road on Thursday convicted two men for unlawfully making a GSMA machine, also known as a Sim Box, which was used to intercept international calls between June 2019 and January 2020.
The two convicts identified as Edward Mutyaba and Brian Kavuma, who appeared before court that was presided over by Magistrate Marion Mangeni, admitted that with the help of other people still at large, they made a GSMA machine that was used to intercept international calls without license from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
They were charged with Making a GMSA machine without license from the Uganda Communications Commission, defrauding MTN telecommunications company through diverting international calls that were estimated to be worth Shs48.4m and defrauding the government of Uganda of money worth Shs28m in taxes.
They were also charged with unlawfully using a computer to make a Sim box and making MTN Sim cards.
The convicts were charged together with four others who include; Kagulire Ibrahim, Musaazi Denin, Bingi Maxi and Lubega Ezra who are accused of helping the suspects to make a GMSA machine without licence from the UCC, defrauding MTN, making government lose taxes from international calls, plus forging MTN lines.
State attorney Abdu Salam told Spy Uganda that “The suspects at first were eight; two of them were however bailed out after investigators learnt that they were not connected to these criminal acts.”
He added that “Five GSMA machines were confiscated from the suspects whereby one of them accommodated 1000 Sim cards, another one 500 and the rest had 100 Sim cards each.
He also revealed that “Through the investigations we have made, we have learnt that the Sim cards were being stolen from people, some of whom might have lost their lives.”
Salam urged every Ugandan to use the knowledge they have to develop their careers instead of disrupting other people’s business.
He also reminded Ugandans to report to police as soon as they lose their Sim cards.
Court adjourned the matter to January 27, 2020 at 15:00Pm when Edward Mutyaba Edward will be sentenced and January 29, 2020 when Brian Kavuma will to appear for another hearing.
