The number of people accusing Kampala city socialite Asiimwe Christian, popularly known as Don Chris, of defrauding them in an alleged overseas labour recruitment scam has risen sharply from about 350 to 655.
Don Chris, a former director of the now-defunct Sky Pins Tours and Travel, was arrested on August 28 in Zana, Wakiso District, following more than a year during which police had been searching for him.
He is accused of obtaining money from hundreds of Ugandans after allegedly promising to secure them employment opportunities abroad, including in Canada, the United Kingdom, Qatar and Dubai.
The jobs reportedly offered included positions such as waiters, cleaners and caregivers, among other low-skilled occupations.
According to police, more than 655 people have so far recorded statements with the Criminal Investigations Directorate, accusing the suspect and his company of taking money from them without delivering the promised jobs and travel arrangements.
The complainants allegedly paid between Shs5 million and Shs10 million each, depending on the type of employment and the country of destination.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said the number of complainants had increased significantly following Don Chris’s arrest, rising from approximately 350 to 655.
She said investigations into the matter had been concluded and the suspect was expected to appear before the City Hall Court after the case file was sanctioned by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on Tuesday evening.
Police estimate that the total amount allegedly collected from the victims could exceed Shs2 billion.
The allegations against Don Chris gained wider attention in June 2025 when at least 85 job seekers petitioned the then Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, accusing the recruitment company of taking their money but failing to facilitate their travel and employment abroad.
The matter was subsequently referred to the Criminal Investigations Directorate for investigations.
Preliminary inquiries established that Sky Pins Tours and Travel had aggressively promoted its overseas employment services through television, radio and social media platforms, including TikTok.
Job seekers were reportedly directed to the company’s offices at Haruna Mall in Ntinda, where they were allegedly offered employment opportunities in several foreign countries.
According to investigators, applicants were informed that the company could facilitate their travel arrangements through a loan arrangement, with clients required to pay part of the recruitment and travel costs upfront.
The applicants were issued company receipts and allegedly assured that they would travel within two to six months.
However, police say none of the complainants whose cases were investigated travelled for the promised employment.
Investigators later discovered that the company had relocated from Haruna Mall in Ntinda to Kitende along Entebbe Road. By the time police traced the new location, the offices had reportedly been abandoned.
As investigations continued, the number of complainants increased rapidly. By July 2025, more than 350 people had come forward, with preliminary estimates placing the amount allegedly obtained from victims at between Shs1.4 billion and Shs1.75 billion.
Police said the suspect allegedly left Uganda through the Malaba border on June 20, 2025, as investigations intensified.
Further inquiries reportedly established that he later stayed in South Africa before returning quietly to Uganda. Police believe he had been moving between Munyonyo and neighbouring areas before he was eventually arrested in Zana last week.
With the number of complainants now standing at more than 655, investigators are continuing to receive and document statements as they seek to establish the full scale of the alleged recruitment fraud.
The case is expected to proceed to court as police and prosecutors prepare charges against the suspect.
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