Kampala Metropolitan Police have arrested a man for allegedly obtaining goods on false pretence and issuing a false cheque.
The suspect identified as Edwin Bekunda Atukunda, founder of Edwin Foundation Tea Initiative (EFOTI) issued a cheque worth Shs10 million to a client, which was not honored and this led to his arrest.
Atukunda’s arrest triggered hundreds of alleged debtors to flock Kampala Metropolitan Police headquarters with claims against Atukunda and his organisation EFOTI.
The complainants allege that Atukunda took tea seedlings from them but refused or failed to pay for them and went into hiding.
The total claims from tea out-growers who say they supplied seedlings to Atukunda and were never paid amounts to Shs523 million.
However, some of the claims are civil in nature and complainants were advised by police to seek remedies in courts of law.
The suspect has since been transferred from Kampala CPS to Fort Portal to face criminal charges of obtaining goods by false pretenses and issuing a false cheque.