NAIROBI, Kenya — Police in Kampala have arrested three people suspected of running an illegal SIM card registration operation involving Airtel, MTN and Lyca Mobile lines using other people’s identification documents.
Three people are in police custody after a joint operation uncovered an alleged illegal SIM card registration racket at New Park Wholesale Building in Kampala’s Central Division.
Police said the suspects were allegedly registering and selling SIM cards using identification documents belonging to other people without authorisation.
During the operation, officers recovered new Airtel, MTN and Lyca Mobile SIM cards, fingerprint scanners, registration books and several national identity cards.
Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the operation followed intelligence received in late July concerning suspected illegal SIM registration and the duplication of identification documents.
According to police, the suspects allegedly duplicated passport documents and used them to register SIM cards in the names of different individuals.
“They were also suspected of duplicating passport documents and using them to register new SIM cards for different individuals, as well as selling and registering Airtel, MTN and other network SIM cards without the required authorisation,” Owoyesigyire said.
Police said preliminary findings indicate that some of the recovered identification documents may have been used to register multiple SIM cards in the names of different people.
The discovery has raised concerns over the possible misuse of personal identification documents and weaknesses in SIM card registration controls.
Police have written to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) to establish the registered owners of the recovered national identity cards and determine whether they were being used without the owners’ knowledge or consent.
Investigators are also engaging Airtel and MTN to establish whether the suspects were authorised agents of the telecommunications companies or were operating independently.
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The recovery of fingerprint scanners and registration materials has also prompted investigators to examine how the suspects allegedly obtained access to registration equipment and whether other individuals or businesses were involved.
The three suspects remain in custody as detectives investigate the extent of the alleged operation and work to identify other people who may have participated in the scheme.
Police have not disclosed the identities of the suspects or indicated whether they have been formally charged.
The investigation remains ongoing.
What police recovered
- New Airtel SIM cards
- MTN SIM cards
- Lyca Mobile SIM cards
- Fingerprint scanners
- Airtel and MTN registration books
- National identity cards
- Allegedly duplicated identification documents
Authorities are expected to establish how many SIM cards were registered using the recovered documents and whether any of the lines were subsequently used for criminal activity.
