Rusoke also distinguished the alleged Ugandan operation from the legitimate HUT8 Corporation, saying the Canadian-listed company had publicly distanced itself from alleged activities being carried out in its name in Uganda.

The ministers’ “Expose and Fight Corrupt Officials in Local Governments” campaign has taken the fight to different districts, where officials have been questioned over issues such as misuse of public resources, abandoned projects, revenue leakages and poor service delivery.

The accused include Martin Muwonge, Hakim Bwire, Paul Sseremba, Ezra Kawanda, Fred Ssali, Simon Geserwa, Godfrey Kasule, Vivian Nakitende, Mohammed Waswa, Grace Nayebale, Shafiq Musisi, Shakuru Lubega, and Simon Ssuuna.

Police believe the incident was robbery-related, with Owori’s mobile phone among the property taken from him. The stolen phone subsequently became a key lead in the investigation. Detectives traced the device, leading to the arrest of the first two suspects before expanding the probe to individuals believed to have handled or purchased it.

The investigation has also uncovered meetings that were allegedly scheduled in Germany, which detectives believe were intended to buy time while reinforcing the impression that the transaction was genuine.

According to the police, preliminary investigations indicate that the teenager had been posting videos containing vulgar and offensive language, which investigators believe amounted to incitement to violence and the promotion of sectarianism. Police also described the content as inappropriate, particularly given the suspect’s age.

The kidnappers held her captive for nearly three weeks, demanding up to $1 million before accepting about $200,000 (approximately UGX 700 million). During her captivity, they cut off two of her fingers and sent them alongside a video of her pleading for help to pressure her family into paying the ransom.