Indian Investor Arrested Over Kidnapping Four Foreigners

An Indian national, Praful Butan has been arrested on allegations of orchestrating the kidnap of four Asians. Butan was arrested on Sunday alongside his alleged Ugandan accomplice, Ignatius Mugumya, on accusations of kidnapping, Akshay Parapati, Sahil Patel, Atul Patel and Kalpesh Vya.

Deputy Kampala police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire said Butan called the Asian victims on the pretext that he had secured jobs for them in Canada. The duo then picked the victims at Entebbe international airport on January 15 but later confiscated their passports.The quartet was confined in a hotel in Kansanga but later shifted to another, Alliance hotel in Bweyogerere, Kira Municipality, in Wakiso district. The accused later allegedly demanded $50,000 (about Shs 139m) ransom from the family in order for the victims to be released.”They, later on, bound them to a hotel here in Kansanga called Jolly Court hotel, and on the 21st at around 9 am on the pretext of taking them to the airport, they took them to another hotel and confined them there in Bweyogerere,” said Owoyesigyire.

Detectives who tracked the whereabouts of the suspects said that the group has been targeting foreigners particularly those from India. They hoodwink their targets that they have jobs in Uganda or in other countries.

Upon arriving at Entebbe airport, Butan and Mugumya would then create a scenario that their victims have illegally entered the country. They would then confiscate the victims’ travel documents so as to create fear among the victims. They would then advise them to buy their freedom by pressuring them to call their relatives to send money for their release.

Owoyesigyire said that the quartet informed their relatives that they had been arrested and wanted money in order to be set free. Relatives in India alerted police in Uganda and a hunt for the kidnappers was launched.

Investigators, accompanied by phone trackers, sighted signals of phones used to call for ransom in Bweyogerere and moved to the exact place spot. Butan and Mugumya were found when they had confined their victims in a hotel room.

Owoyesigyire said investigations have been expanded to unearth all people who could have been robbed by Butan and Mugumya using the same tricks. The Indian community has been urged to always report once they detectives suspicious conduct of their members.urn