Robert Kasibante, the founder of Victory School of Beauty and Hospitality Management in Natete, Kampala is allegedly hiding behind the names of President Yoweri Museveni and his wife and first lady Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni also doubles as the Minister of Education and Sports to steal from the public.
Kasibante’s latest victim is Stella Nazziwa, an ex-migrant worker, whom he lured, deceived that he will take her to the United States of America, and obtained Shs8m from her.
“At first, he asked me for Shs15m, we bargained until we reached a conclusion of Shs12m. I didn’t have the money we sold some of our properties and raised it and gave him,” she said
“He told me I will be traveling with the convoy of the Ministry of Education and Sports which was going to the US, and upon reaching there, I will find people waiting for me to give me the job,” she added.
According to Nazziwa, Kasibante’s office which is located in Natete, Kampala has a lot of photos bearing him with the president and the first lady, “and this just proved to me that he was indeed genuine,”
Photos seen by DaParrot, show Kasibante posing with president Museveni and the first lady.
How it all Started
A few months into her vacation after working as a migrant worker in Kuwait, Nazziwa in the third week of February 2022 met Kasibante through his husband.
“My husband had learned about him through his friend who said that he takes people in the USA, Canada, and other European countries,” she said
“We together contacted him ad made an appointment with him, a few days later I met him at his office,” she adds.
Kasibante’s Office is located at his school, upon entry, Nazziwa says that she was welcomed by photos pinned all over the walls.
“They bore Kasibante and the president, first lady, Ministers, and other top government bigwigs. I concluded that he is genuine,”
She says that Kasibante immediately informed him on how he could take her to the USA at ease, without much effort.
“He said that he deals with officials from the ministry of education and sports and whenever the ministry has an outside conference, they fix in their additional people,”
At this point, the ministry, according to Kasibante was traveling to the USA in March.
“He said I will pay Shs12m for the entire job, and had to pay Shs7m and the balance of Shs5m was to be paid, after me reaching in USA which I agreed,”
She says that a few days later she paid Shs3m to Kasibante.
“What surprised me, in three days Kasibante called me, informing me that my Visa was out, I wondered, because I had not even done an interview for it or undergone any formal Visa Application process,” she said
In response, Kasibante according to Nazziwa said, “You will be traveling with Diplomats so you didn’t need to undergo all those steps,”
In normal circumstances for one to obtain a US Visa, they make the application and pay a non-refundable fee of Shs600,000, they are later summoned to the US Embassy, and interviewed before being given the Visa. This was not the case with Nazziwa.
“I trusted him because I thought he was genuine,” she said.
On Nazziwa’s Visa, it’s a fake Passport number C00000573 used, yet her original passport number is A00632705.
After completing the balance of Shs4m, Nazziwa says she thought everything was done and prepared to pack her belongings and started waiting for the journey which has never come.
“The air ticket became an air ticket, and Kasibante started changing statements he said that they needed an extra Shs1.5m for it to be processed, he offered a helping hand of Shs500,000 and I paid Shs1000,000 which rose the money to Shs8m.”
After paying this amount, Kasibante who was already holding Nazziwa’s Passport started changing, talking rudely,
“One day he told me while at his Office that he is highly connected and that I cannot do anything to him except for him to help me, I started sweet talking to him, I told him I had got a way out and needed a passport he immediately picked out the fake visa and gave me the passport,” she said
Reporting to Natete Police Station
Nazziwa said that she called Kasibante’s phone for two weeks but it was off and when it finally went through, he told her that he was in the village.
He later started ignoring her calls which prompted her to report a case at Natete Police Station.
A Case of Obtaining Money by False Pretense was recorded on August 4, 2022, on Case reference SD Ref: 67/04/08/2022.
“What surprised me is that before the statement could even be reported, an Officer at Natete Police picked up his phone, and called Kasibante without asking for his contact from me, an indication that they knew each other,”
Kasibante, she said later wrote an agreement committing to pay her money.
DaParrot obtained an agreement purportedly signed by Kasibante, committing to pay the said money.
“I Kasibante Robert Do commit myself after the discussion between Me Henry and his wife Stella over payment plan of Shs8m which was given to me in regard to the travel process of madam Stella,” reads part of the agreement,
“We agreed that I will be paying ShsShs5m on 15/09/2022 and I will again be paying the balance of Shs3m after two weeks of that day,” it adds.
To date, Nazziwa says she has never received a single penny from him.
Activist Intervene
After failing to get justice, Nazziwa later contacted Mariam Mwiza, the ED of Overseas Workers Voice Uganda (OWVU) who intervened in the matter.
“We together reported to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit where fresh charges of fresh forgery were opened.
On Nazziwa’s Visa, it’s a fake Passport number C00000573 used, yet her original passport number is A00632705.
Contacted for a comment, SHACU Communication Officials said that the matter is still undergoing Investigations and so can’t be disclosed to the media or public until it’s done.
Police Speaks Out
In a telephone interview with DaParrot, ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy spokesperson said that Kasibante is a notorious fraudster who has been arrested several times.
“Whenever he is arrested and arraigned before Court, e pays part of the money and he is released since his Case automatically becomes Civil, those demanding him are the reasons for his earlier release,” he said
In a span of less than three years, Kasibante, Owoyesigyire said has conned over 30 people.
“We are fully aware of that lady’s Case, she reported it at Natete Police Station and I would implore her to make a follow-up because that man steals people by promising them non-existent jobs,” he said adding,
“We shall follow up on this matter and have him arrested so that the woman gets justice,” he said
Mwiza Speaks out
Speaking to DaParrot, Mwiza blamed the police for not doing enough to solve this issue.
“Police are too slow in reacting, even the fact that they recorded obtaining money by False Pretense also shows lacking police, this man attempted to traffic this woman, where was he taking her,” she said.
She noted that the case of Kasibante has started showing that human trafficking is slowly shifting from Middle East Countries to now Europe and US.
“Since we rose awareness on Arab woos, now people are being lured with America and Canada, the government needs to do more than enough to avert this new trend,” she said adding,
“The last two months I have been receiving cases from Germany, USA, and Denmark,”
Kasibante’s Scanty Response
Contacted for a comment about the entire woos, Kasibante said,
“I cannot speak on the phone if you want to look for me,” he said and completely switched off his known phone.
