Police have finally arrested city socialite Christian Asiimwe, alias Don Chris, a former director of the defunct Skypins Tours and Travel Company, over allegations of obtaining money by false pretences and fraudulent labour recruitment.
Asiimwe was arrested at about 2am on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at a bar in Zana, Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Racheal Kawala, Asiimwe is accused of obtaining money from several people between 2022 and 2025 after allegedly promising to secure them jobs abroad.
The alleged destinations included Canada, the United Kingdom, Qatar and Dubai, among others, with promised positions including waiters, cleaners and caregivers.
“So far, statements have been recorded from over 500 alleged victims in connection with the matter,” Kawala said in a statement.
Police said the alleged victims paid between Shs5 million and Shs10 million, depending on the job and destination.
Asiimwe is currently in police custody as investigations continue and will be taken to court in accordance with the law, police said.
The arrest follows a case that has been under investigation since 2025, when police launched a manhunt for Asiimwe over allegations that more than 100 Ugandans had been defrauded of more than Shs500 million in a foreign employment scam.
At the time, police said Skypins Tours and Travel had advertised jobs abroad through television, radio and social media platforms, including TikTok.
Police said the company invited prospective applicants to its offices at Ntinda Haruna Mall, where they were promised opportunities to work abroad.
“It is alleged that from 2022 to date, Skypins Tours and Travel Company has been advertising job opportunities abroad on television, radio, and social media platforms such as TikTok,” the then Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Onyango said in 2025.
According to police, victims were allegedly encouraged to travel on loan after paying part of the required fees for jobs in Canada, the UK, Qatar, Dubai and Luxembourg.
The amounts allegedly paid ranged from Shs3.5 million to Shs10 million per person, with the total loss estimated at more than Shs500 million.
Police said victims were issued receipts and promised that they would travel within two to six months, but the promised placements did not materialise.
The company later moved its offices from Ntinda Haruna Mall to Kitende along Entebbe Road, according to police.
Several victims allegedly demanded either refunds or the jobs they had paid for, but police said Asiimwe failed to deliver and some victims alleged that they were threatened when they sought their money back.
The victims later sought the intervention of Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Balaam Barugahara, who referred the matter to the Kampala Metropolitan Police Criminal Investigations Department.
Police investigations also found that Skypins Tours and Travel was not licensed by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to operate as an external labour recruitment agency.
A general inquiry file was opened on June 17, 2025, and the case file was subsequently submitted to the Resident State Attorney, who sanctioned Asiimwe’s arrest over allegations of obtaining money by false pretences.
Before his arrest, Asiimwe had reportedly posted a video on social media dismissing the allegations and challenging police to arrest him. He claimed he had returned from an overseas trip and was not wanted by authorities.
Police have now urged members of the public to verify the licensing status of labour recruitment companies and agents before making payments or entering into recruitment agreements.
“Members of the public with relevant information regarding this case are encouraged to report to the nearest police station,” Kawala said.
The allegations against Asiimwe have not been proved in court, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
