A new scam targeting men in some of Kampala’s top bars is causing alarm among patrons and security experts. According to security consultant Dickson Bond Okello, neatly dressed, middle‑aged men sitting alone with a drink are being singled out by women who storm up to their tables, loudly accusing them of abandoning them in a lodge or guesthouse without paying for “services rendered.”
The confrontation is quickly escalated as the woman’s accomplices and even some bar bouncers surround the victim, demanding cash payments starting from 500,000 shillings. The tactic relies on shock and public embarrassment to pressure the man into paying on the spot. Okello urges potential victims not to give in to intimidation, but instead to stand their ground and immediately call the police on 999 or 112, stressing that genuine claims should be handled through formal authorities, not bar shakedowns.
Allegations that some criminals enjoy protection from corrupt security personnel have heightened concern, and Okello has warned that bars where these incidents are most common will soon be publicly named to help protect unsuspecting customers.
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