The issues boiling between Uganda police and the top telecommunications network MTN seem to be far from over. Today morning, the boiling shuffle between police and MTN officials has evaporated to the top after an official notice from police confirming the arrest and deportation of 2 foreign nationals who double as top executives at MTN Uganda.
Last year, Police raided one of MTN data centers over allegations of breach of national security. This saw several network engineers arrested to facilitate police investigations. Since then, no allegations ever came up not until the recent arrests of MTN CMO Olivier Prentout last Saturday 19th January and the head of sales Annie Bilenge Tabura on Monday 21st January 2019.
Through an official statement published by the Police PRO, the police cites compromise of national security as the cause that provoked deportation of the two officials to their respective countries earlier today. Also, the Yello camp confirmed the arrest of its 2 employees at a time when Police hasn’t directly listed the telco name and core security breach in its published notice.
“Security agencies in close coordination with immigration officials have been investigating two Foreign Nationals working with a leading Mobile Telecom Company over their engagements in acts which compromise national security. We strongly believe the deportation of the two foreigners who were using their employment as tools to achieve all their motives, has enabled us disrupt their intended plans of compromising national security”
Well, with the previous raid on MTN’s data centers and the current deportation its two top officials provokes a sense of wonder whether the Yello camp is simply being hunt down on false claims or its strategic position is largely utilized by unknown users in pursuit of unknown motives.
Given the fact that MTN’s data centers were raided without any court orders listed and several engineers arrested with further plans to mine telecom data, the silent boiling pings between Police and MTN could either be affiliated to political stability or simply trace routes to data that could as well provoke more arrests.
These new arrests have now left MTN with no Chief Marketing Officer though the telecom has assured customers of their commitment to operating within the listed laws of Uganda.
