Ugandan cops in trouble over fake homosexuality charges
Police extortion of $795 reportedly sought to derail $185,000 theft case
Two Ugandan police officers are reportedly facing disciplinary action after an internal police investigation into allegations that they extorted 3 million Uganda shillings (US $795) in 2025 from a European oil and gas consultant whom they falsely accused of violating the nation’s anti-homosexuality law.
That reported extortion by Asst. Supt. Namutebi Madrine and Asst. Supt. Turyahikayo Alex is allegedly connected to a larger scheme in which two lawyers and unidentified security operatives in 2024 reportedly stole, framed and extorted a total of Shs700 million (US $185,000) from the same consultant, 67-year-old Schelfhout Joris of Belgium.
According to Red Pepper, a local Ugandan tabloid famous for reporting on scandals, the saga began with a controversial bank transfer that saw the Shs700 million disappear from Joris’ account.
The money was allegedly fraudulently transferred through Absa Bank to an account linked to Kampala lawyer Muhindo Patience Audrey on Nov. 23, 2024, triggering a criminal investigation that implicated Muhindo and another lawyer, Stuart Kasingye.
They both pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Makindye Magistrate’s Court on charges of theft and conspiracy to commit a felony and they were remanded at Luzira prison.
In an attempt to derail the case, it is alleged that the lawyers colluded with unidentified security operatives to cause the arrest of Schelfhout Joris and compel him to drop the case and leave the country.
Red Pepper reported that on Feb. 13, 2025, Joris was arrested at the Drop Bar and Restaurant in the Muyenga section of Kampala and detained at Muyenga Police Post, where he was accused of “practicing and promoting homosexuality.”
Instead of being placed in a police cell, Joris reportedly was confined in the office of the officer-in-charge, Asst. Supt. Namutebi Madrine, for more than four hours.
“Upon inspection of the police records at Muyenga Police Station, it was established that there was no case reported or registered against Schelfhout Joris and his arrest was not recorded in the station diary or lock-up register,” Red Pepper quoted a police report as saying.
While in police custody, media reports say, Joris was pressured into paying the 3 million Ugandan shillings or face a long prison sentence under the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) 2023. He was given a police bond upon paying the money which was reportedly shared between Namutebi and Turyahikayo.
The same police officers reportedly pressured him to leave the country immediately or face severe consequences.
Terrified by the threats, Joris reportedly left the country and returned months later to join his partner Rukia Kawere, who is the complainant in the 700-million-shilling fraud case.
Muyenga Police Post is under Kabalagala Police Station which has been at the center of arbitrary arrests and extortion of presumed or known LGBTQI+ persons.
For example, in September 2025, Erasing 76 Crimes published the article “Uganda Police arrest a serial blackmailer of LGBTQI+ people” about blackmailer Najib Akampurira, aka Morris, which stated that he was particularly dangerous because his network of accomplices included police officers. The article reported that most of his victims were either detained or threatened to be detained at Kabalagala Police station.
According to various reports published by the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) Kabalagala and Bukasa Police post have featured among the leading detention centers for people accused of homosexuality-related offences.
The police report supposedly questions Turyahikayo’s involvement in a case outside his area of jurisdiction.
“The Uganda Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU) has recommended that the two officers face disciplinary charges under the Police Act. The proposed two charges include: discreditable or irregular conduct and unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority. However, the investigators have also recommended that the case file be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for further legal review”, Red Pepper reported.
