Police, UNBS Impound 500 Bags of Fake Cement in Luwero Town

By Spurb Ernest

Police and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) have impounded over 500 bags of counterfeit cement from Luwero town. 

According to Sam Twiineamazima, the Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson, the fake cement was being mixed and packaged at a home belonging to Daudah Mutesasira in Kalongo zone before it was distributed to hardware shops along Kasiiso Road in Luwero Town Council

Twiineamazima stated that after receiving a tip-off about the counterfeit cement, they deployed operatives who caught Ronald Onyango in the act of mixing the cement and repackaging itTwiineamazima further explained that aside from making fake cement, Onyango was also packaging less than 50 kilograms per bag and adding counterfeit UNBS Q-mark seals before reselling it to hardware shops and individual buyers in Luwero

Both Onyango and Mutesasira are currently being detained at Luwero Central Police Station. During a search of the production facility on Monday, over 500 bags of fake cement were recovered, ready for sale, along with 1,000 bags of stone dust for further production. The UNBS surveillance team also seized over 1 million fake UNBS Q-mark seals.

The cement, stone dust, and Q-mark seals were taken by the UNBS before being transported to stores in Kampala city

Sarah Nantongo, a Surveillance Officer for the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, confirmed that Onyango and Mutesasira will be transferred to the Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife Court in Kampala to face charges of counterfeiting and forging UNBS Q-mark and weights