Three charged for blackmailing businessman with sex videos

The trio on Thursday appeared before Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court on charges of demanding property by written threats contrary to the penal code.

The suspects; Hamis Mukota and his wife Donah Werukwendera, are jointly charged with Tracy Nangendo.

The couple is said to have sneaked into the house of Iganga-based businessman and recorded him having sex with Tracy Nangendo. They then reportedly started threatening him of exposing him by posting the video on social media unless he pays them Shs150m.

The trio who appeared before Grade One Magistrate, Marion Mangeni, pleaded not guilty to the charges. They applied for bail and presented their relatives as sureties. However, the State Attorney, Ivan Kyazze asked the court for more time to verify their particulars.

As a result, the Magistrate remanded the suspects, who kept laughing sheepishly during the court session, to Kigo prison and Mukota to Kitalya Mini Maximum Prison until June 18, 2020.

The suspects were first arrested on January 31, 2020, by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) headquarters and were later released on bond.

Police again swung into action and arrested the trio after the businessman complained of cyber harassment. A highly placed security source told this reporter on condition of anonymity that the suspects also filed a case of rape against the businessman so as to divert police investigations.

However, police exonerated the businessman after examining the video clip.