The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU), in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) in Uganda, have arrested seven individuals for allegedly defrauding a Nigerian businessman of $70,000 in a fake gold transaction.
At a press briefing held at the Unit’s offices at the Parliamentary Building, Senior Officer Bamwiine Muhorozi said the suspects tricked Mark Gbillah into believing they could supply him with seven kilograms of gold through their companies, Legacy Refinery Limited and Emerod Agency Limited.
Investigations revealed that the firms had no gold to sell.
Those arrested include Paluku Kisasi (Congolese), Safari Akonkwa (Congolese), Isaac Mpende (Congolese), Abdul Madjid Kahirima (Ugandan), Mabwongo Prince (Congolese), Kajjubi Tevin Kyome (Ugandan), and Tibasiima Barbra, also known as Katushabe Sharon (Ugandan).
They allegedly posed as gold sellers, clearing agents, company representatives, and a secretary to execute the scam.
According to Bamwiine, the arrest was made possible after Gbillah quickly reported the matter to the Unit.
“Working together, we set up a controlled meeting with the fraudsters, leading to their arrest before they could extort additional funds,” he said.
READ ALSO: EFCC Probes Passenger Over Alleged Undeclared $59,000 At Lagos Airport
A search at the suspects’ rented premises in Muyenga, Kampala, uncovered about 150 kilograms of fake gold bars and imitation gold nuggets, which authorities say were used to deceive multiple potential victims.
Bamwiine noted that while the Unit had intercepted similar scams in the past, this case was significant because the suspects were caught in the act. He urged the public and investors to conduct due diligence before engaging in business transactions.
“Verify with the relevant authorities and continue reporting suspicious activities to safeguard yourselves from scams,” he advised.
Australia cricket chief Todd Greenberg says a slimmer Test calendar could benefit smaller nations because the five-day game was better “where it means something”.
Marking 100 days until the home Ashes series against England begins in Perth, Cricket Australia CEO Greenberg suggested that quality, not quantity, was important in keeping the red-ball game viable.
“We’re trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play Test cricket,” he told reporters.
“We need to make sure we invest in the right spaces to play Test cricket where it means something.
“That’s why the Ashes will be as enormous and as profitable as it is – because it means something.”
England have just completed a thrilling 2-2 home drawn series against India in front of sold-out crowds.
At the same time, New Zealand and Australia romped to easy overseas Test series wins against uncompetitive West Indies and Zimbabwe teams respectively, leaving question marks over the quality of Test cricket in those countries.
One idea is to create two or more divisions of Test cricket to keep it competitive, but Greenberg said he did not have a strong opinion on the ideal number of Test-playing nations.
“Let’s consider what the future might look like,” he said.
But the five-day game remained in rude health in Australia, Greenberg said, where interest in the Ashes had been “off the charts”.
“This will be the biggest sports event in Australia this year,” said Greenberg.
“The interest is quite extraordinary with ticket allocations for 11 of the 20 days on sale already exhausted.”
Robbie Williams is currently on the European leg of his Britpop tour, and fans were left gobsmacked when he bravely faced an unlikely ‘stage invader’ at a recent show
Robbie Williams faced off against a ‘stage invader’ while on tour(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
Robbie Williams is in the middle of a mammoth 37-show tour in support of his latest album, Britpop, which has seen him play a number of shows in the UK and across Europe. But during one recent gig in Germany, the former Take That star left fans gobsmacked as he was seen bravely fending off an unlikely “stage invader” who tried to interrupt the show.
A video of the incident was shared on TikTok by The Lottery Winners, a pop band who have been supporting Robbie on his tour throughout the UK and Europe. The clip begins with Robbie inviting his “new best mate” and Lottery Winners lead singer Thom Rylance on stage, before the fellow musician alerts him to the unwelcome guest on stage with them.
But the stage invader isn’t an overzealous fan, but is instead something that could be even scarier – a wasp.
Thom tells Robbie in the clip: “There’s a wasp right on you.”
As the Angels singer moves out of the way, the wasp flies between the two, and Thom can be heard screaming while Robbie tells the insect to “f**k off”. He then also jokingly tells the crowd to “finish the gig yourselves” as he attempts to run off stage away from the angry wasp.
WARNING: The below TikTok video contains strong language.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
The crowd descends into laughter as Thom lifts his guitar as a weapon to fight off the wasp, before declaring to Robbie that he’s “so scared”. Robbie then stated: “I’m not. I’m butch.”
Robbie asks Thom if he would be willing to play guitar for some of his songs, but is cut off mid-sentence as the wasp comes back for more and he’s forced to pull off the scarf he’s wearing and throw it into the crowd to try and deter the insect.
The video then cuts to Robbie and Thom performing Take That’s hit Relight My Fire together, before Thom once again has to run away as the wasp returns to taunt him some more.
Commenters on the video were left in stitches by the duo’s antics, as people joked they needed “security” to escort the wasp off stage so the musicians could get back to the show.
One person said: “Where’s security when you need them?”
Article continues below
Another added: “When the best concert ever becomes a stand-up comedy show.”
While a third quipped: “The very brave, ‘There is a wasp right on you though’, followed by pure panic! I’m howling!”
Actress Michelle Keegan returns to ITV for the first time in eight years, starring as a detective in The Blame, a dark new psychological thriller
Michelle Keegan makes explosive ITV return after decade with Hollywood co-star(Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Michelle Keegan is stepping back into the spotlight and back onto ITV – for the first time in nearly a decade – as she prepares to star in the gripping new psychological thriller The Blame.
The series marks a major career moment for the 38-year-old actress, who recently welcomed her first child, daughter Palma Elizabeth Wright, with husband Mark Wright in March. The six-part drama will see Michelle in a commanding lead role as DI Emma Crane, a detective investigating a mysterious and tragic death that unravels into something far more sinister.
According to ITV, the case “spirals into a tangled web of lies, institutional cover-ups, and moral compromise.” It comes after Michelle’s husband Mark, 39, shared a big ‘disappointment’ after their family holiday with baby daughter Palma.
READ MORE: Inside Olly Murs’ tragic 16-year feud with twin and why heartbroken mum had to stop workREAD MORE: Mark Wright warns Olly Murs ‘you’ve got to stop’ after huge transformation
Michelle’s return to ITV is particularly notable as she first rose to national fame on the network’s long-running soap Coronation Street, where she played fan-favourite Tina McIntyre from 2008 until 2014.
Her last project for ITV came in 2017, when she portrayed Tina Moore, the wife of football legend Bobby Moore, in the critically acclaimed three-part drama Tina and Bobby.
Now, eight years since she last worked with the broadcaster, Michelle is not only coming back with an epic lead role, but she’s doing so opposite none other than Douglas Booth.
Michelle Keegan is stepping back into the spotlight and back onto ITV
The 33-year-old actor is widely known for his roles in Mary Shelley, The Limehouse Golem, and Netflix’s fantasy juggernaut The Sandman.
Booth plays DI Tom Radley, working alongside Michelle’s character as the two detectives are drawn deeper into a high-stakes investigation that tests both their moral boundaries and professional loyalties.
While fans are thrilled by the casting, husband Mark Wright may have mixed feelings about Michelle teaming up with Booth, often dubbed a Hollywood heartthrob.
Booth plays DI Tom Radley in the new ITV drama
Since stepping away from ITV, Michelle has built an impressive portfolio across different networks and genres.
She starred in the hit comedy-drama Brassic on Sky, took on a dramatic lead in Ten Pound Poms for BBC One, and reached a global audience with her most successful project to date, Netflix’s Fool Me Once.
The Harlan Coben thriller smashed records with an astounding 107 million views in its first six months on the platform, firmly cementing Michelle’s status as a leading lady in British television.
Michelle made huge waves on Fool Me Once(Image: (Image: Netflix))
The Blame is based on the debut novel of the same name by Charlotte Langley and promises to deliver suspense, drama, and emotional depth.
Alongside Michelle and Booth, the cast features heavyweight talent including Harry Potter’s Ian Hart and Line of Duty star Nigel Boyle, known for his chilling role as DCS Buckells.
Fans have been desperately searching for the secret to Princess Andre’s long, glossy hair, and there’s one ultra-affordable curl cream that keeps her hair in good condition
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Princess Andre has shared how she creates her curly hair(Image: Aimee Rose McGhee/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Space NK)
After announcing her new reality show, The Princess Diaries on ITV, fans of Princess Andre have already been desperately looking to the teen for advice on how she keeps her hair so long and healthy. Princess, whose parents are Katie Price and Peter Andre, is known for her ultra-long curls, and with curly hair notoriously difficult to keep looking healthy and shiny, it’s no wonder everyone’s turning to her for advice.
The secret, it turns out, couldn’t be easier or more affordable to copy, as in one TikTok video Princess revealed that she uses the Mais Cachos curl cream from Skala Expert to help define and smooth her curls.
READ MORE: Mrs Hinch raves about £25 bubble bath that removes fake tan with no scrubbing
READ MORE: Stacey Solomon’s heatless curlers are so good they preserved her blowdry at a waterpark
The cream is perfect for all types of curly, coily and kinked hair, and comes in a massive 1kg tub, which means you’ll be getting plenty of product for your money. However thanks to Amazon’s current sale, you’ll be getting even more bang for your buck, because it just got slashed from £14.29 to £25, marking a huge 42% discount.
Princess uses the £8 curl cream on her curly hair(Image: Princess Andre/TikTok)
It is touted as a conditioner, with the instructions saying to apply it to damp hair and leave it for a few minutes before washing out. However, Princess used her own technique which involved leaving the Mais Cachos curl cream in, giving her hair extra hydration and hold.
If you’re worried about greasiness or it weighing your locks down, you could always swap it for Only Curls’ Hydrating Curl Creme which is a leave-in conditioning styling cream specially designed for curly hair. It’s £10 for a 100ml bottle or £18 for 250ml, or you can pick up a huge 500ml refill bottle for £30.
Alternatively, Moroccanoil’s Curl Defining Cream is £11 is infused with argan oil to nourish and hydrate your hair, leaving it frizz-free and shiny. It also increases your hair’s curl memory when activated by heat, which helps your style last longer and have a more natural look.
If you want to copy Princess’ routine to a tee, however, try adding the Mais Cachos curl cream to your curly hair routine. We also broke down exactly how she creates and maintains her curl pattern.
Princess Andre’s curly hair method
In the TikTok, Princess explains that she likes to use a “good amount of product” on her hair, with the cream helping to hydrate her curls which stops them looking dry or frizzy. Scooping the Mais Cachos curl cream onto a section of hair, she smooths it over before combing through with her fingers, then immediately follows it up by brushing through the section.
She also explains that brushing your hair away from your face can help define the curls more. Throughout the process, Princess also keeps spraying her hair with water to keep it wet, which helps ensure her hair dries into an intentional curl pattern.
Princess shared the exact steps to copy her curly hair method(Image: Princess Andre/TikTok)
Each time she finishes combing the Mais Cachos curl cream through a section, she then wraps the section around her fingers, which is another top tip for making sure curls fall into their natural pattern. After unravelling the curl, Princess scrunches it upwards, adding that “it should make a squishy noise”, which indicates the coil is properly hydrated.
Article continues below
To finish, she scrunches all of her finished curls with a towel to remove excess moisture, then applies a mousse or gel to make sure each curl holds its shape as it dries. Finally, she uses a hair dryer with a diffuser attachment, clarifying that she doesn’t completely dry her hair with the hair dryer, but just does it a little then leaves it to air dry completely.
Bangladeshi anticorruption officials have testified in court against former British Minister Tulip Siddiq, accused of using her familial ties to deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to obtain state-owned land plots in the South Asian country.
Three officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday read out testimonies in three separate cases, over an alleged land grab of plots in the capital, Dhaka.
Siddiq, who is Hasina’s niece, resigned from her post as an anticorruption minister in United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government in January, following reports that she lived in London properties linked to her aunt and was named in an anticorruption investigation in Bangladesh.
She is being tried in the land grab case together with her mother, Sheikh Rehana, brother, Radwan Mujib, and sister, Azmina.The four were indicted earlier and asked to appear in court; however, the prosecution said they absconded and would be tried in absentia.
Siddiq has called the process a “persecution and a farce”.
ACC lawyer Khan Mohammad Mainul said Siddiq was “lying”.
“We have obtained all the necessary documents, including her correspondence in this matter,” he told the AFP news agency. “We have strong evidence against her.”
The cases are in addition to three corruption cases that opened on Monday. Hasina, 77, is named in all.
Separately, the anticorruption investigation has alleged that Siddiq’s family was involved in brokering a 2013 deal with Russia for a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in which large sums of money were said to have been embezzled.
Siddiq represents the north London district of Hampstead and Highgate in Parliament, and served in the UK’s centre-left Labour Party government as economic secretary to the Treasury – the minister responsible for tackling financial corruption.
Hasina’s rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killing of her political opponents.
She fled Bangladesh by helicopter on August 5, 2024, after weeks of student-led protests against her rule.
