TORORO DISTRICT- Tororo District authorities have successfully dismantled a major counterfeit cement operation, leading to the arrest of five individuals and the seizure of over 700 bags of adulterated cement. The operation, which took place in Osukuru Town Council, revealed a long-running illegal trade, with suspicions of involvement from high-ranking district leaders and police officers.

The investigation was led by Milton Birunji, the Regional Criminal Investigation Division (CID) officer from Mbale, who was accompanied by a team from the Tororo CID. Acting on intelligence reports, the team conducted raids on two stores located in T-Caf Cell, T-Caf Ward, uncovering 380 bags of counterfeit cement in one store and 356 bags in another.

Tororo's Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Sadiq Bategana Bakale, confirmed the existence of the counterfeit cement racket and highlighted the significant dangers posed by using fake cement in construction. "We have confirmed that adulterated cement is being processed here and sold to different parts of the country. Fake cement is a serious security threat, especially when used in constructing storage facilities and other buildings," Bakale stated.

The RDC further disclosed that five suspects had been arrested and were assisting authorities in tracking down additional individuals involved in the operation. "So far, we have arrested five individuals who are helping us track down others involved," he added.

Preliminary investigations suggest that several high-ranking district officials and security personnel may have played a role in allowing the illegal trade to flourish. Anonymous sources within the security agencies have implicated Tororo LCV Chairperson John Okea, Regional Police Commander (RPC) Fred Ahimbisibwe, and Deputy RDC Albert Amula, claiming they received bribes to facilitate the racket’s operation.

"We have information that key figures, including the LCV chairperson, the RPC of Tororo, and the deputy RDC, are involved. Those arrested have confessed that they pay these officials 400,000 shillings plus 200 liters of fuel every month to operate," one anonymous security officer revealed.

Authorities believe the counterfeit cement was produced using fine dust sourced from Isimba Quarry in Njeru, Jinja. "Our sources have revealed that 500 kilograms of fine dust are mixed with just 50 kilograms of genuine cement before being repackaged in smuggled Tororo Cement-branded bags and later sold to unsuspecting buyers," explained Investigator Milton Birunji.

This is not the first time Tororo has been identified as a hub for counterfeit cement production and distribution. With investigations continuing, authorities anticipate further arrests as they work to dismantle the entire network behind the illicit trade.

Efforts to reach Tororo Cement for comment were unsuccessful, as the managing director’s phone was unavailable at the time of writing.

Via Nile Post