The Bushenyi Chief Magistrate’s Court has convicted Mutungisa Longino on three counts of theft, unauthorised access to a computer device, and unauthorised modification of a computer device under the Computer Misuse Act, following the theft and flashing of nine smartphones financed by Watu Credit Uganda Ltd.
The case arose in May 2025 when Watu’s monitoring systems flagged several devices that had gone offline. A field officer working within the Watu Simu sales network failed to account for the phones, prompting investigations.
Investigators attached to Bushenyi Central Police Station established that Longino had unlawfully tampered with and switched off all nine devices. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
During the trial, the prosecution presented witnesses, including a tracking officer and investigative officers, to support the charges. Longino argued that he was not a Watu employee and that no documents directly linked him to the devices. However, he admitted that the phones had been assigned to him for sale and were financed by Watu on loan.
The court found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted him on all three counts.
For the theft charge, the court imposed a fine of Shs 2 million payable to the government and ordered Longino to pay Shs 8 million in compensation to Watu Credit Uganda Ltd. He faces two years’ imprisonment in default of the fine and compensation.
For unauthorised access and unauthorised modification of a computer device, the court sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
Watu Credit Uganda Ltd said the conviction sends a strong warning to individuals who steal or tamper with devices financed by the company.
“Watu will pursue anyone who tampers with or steals financed devices, whatever their role or title. These phones are financed on loan, which gives thousands of Ugandans access to a smartphone, and fraud against it harms every honest customer,” said Viola Musiimire, the company’s legal manager.
Phone flashing involves wiping or rewriting a device’s software, potentially allowing it to be resold, concealed or used for criminal activities. The practice poses growing risks as more financial transactions and personal activities move to smartphones.
According to the Uganda Communications Commission’s first-quarter 2026 report, Uganda had 58.7 million registered mobile money accounts, of which 36.7 million were active within the 90-day measurement period. The regulator’s second-quarter report put the number of smartphones in the country at approximately 20.5 million.
The growing use of mobile money and smartphones has increased the potential risks associated with tampered devices, including identity theft, financial loss and exposure of personal data.
Mykyta Batenko, head of Watu Simu Uganda, said the company would continue investing in tracking systems, investigations and prosecutions to combat the theft and unauthorised modification of financed devices.
He also urged members of the public to report individuals offering to unlock or reprogram devices financed through the company.
"Every flashed phone is a risk to its next owner's identity, money, and data. We will keep investing in tracking, investigation and prosecution, and we encourage the public to report anyone offering to unlock or reprogram a financed device,"Batenko said.