SFC disowns ‘Captain’ Yonasan Tibenderana, who was arrested over extortion

What the report says

The Observer reports that Uganda’s Special Forces Command (SFC) has publicly rejected claims that Yonasan Tibenderana is a serving officer, after his arrest over alleged extortion linked to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) offices in Kololo, Kampala. In a statement, SFC public information officer Capt. Julius Kabandize said Tibenderana has no affiliation with the unit and described references to him as an “SFC Captain” as false and misleading.

According to the article, Tibenderana, 35, was recently brought before Nakawa grade one magistrate Rhoda Acham Ochom on a charge of obtaining money by false pretence under the Penal Code Act. Prosecutors allege that on September 1, 2025, he took Shs 200,000 from Juliet Apio after claiming he could help her secure an express national identity card.

The report says there is a dispute over Tibenderana’s status: the SFC says he is not, and has never been, one of its officers or soldiers, while court records reportedly describe him as a serving SFC captain. The case has drawn attention because it involves alleged impersonation of a military officer and concerns over fraud tied to a public service office. The article also notes that Tibenderana’s photo was placed on NIRA’s “Wall of Shame” after his arrest.