The governments of Uganda and the USA are currently engaged in a joint investigation targeting a fraudster named Angela Penya, who is based in Washington D.C.
Preliminary findings suggest that Penya, operating through a company called Angie B Consultants, has been deceiving Ugandans with false promises of lucrative employment opportunities.
Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Uganda, has stated that investigations so far indicate Penya, in collaboration with local agents, has been demanding payments ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 from victims.
A particularly concerning aspect of these allegations, according to Mundeyi, is Penya’s alleged practice of seizing victims’ passports and subsequently selling them to drug cartels within the USA.
Mundeyi also confirmed that the Ministry has received multiple complaints from individuals who claim to be victims of Penya’s scheme.
Furthermore, authorities have successfully identified four individuals believed to be working as agents for Angela Penya, and efforts are currently underway to apprehend them.
In a separate development concerning the Ministry’s efforts to improve service delivery, Mundeyi announced that a new passport office is scheduled to open in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in July of this year.
This new office aims to make passport services more accessible to Ugandans residing in Saudi Arabia, and its opening will increase the total number of diaspora passport offices to eight.
The Ministry also has future plans to establish additional offices and intends to acquire mobile passport enrollment kits to facilitate access for Ugandans who may face difficulties reaching existing passport offices.
By Ben Musanje
5th May 2025
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