He added that preliminary findings revealed that the woman is Mary Grace Miller, a 64-year-old American citizen and teacher by profession who entered Uganda in September 2022 through the Busia border on a three-month visit visa, which expired on December 14, 2022.
The Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire has distanced himself from media claims that attributed to him a statement indicating that the American woman held for questioning after being found collecting and selling used plastic bottles for three years is a spy.
In a police statement, Owoyesigyire said that the police wish to respond to a media story purporting that the Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson, had told a reporter that the suspect, Mary Grace Miller, had been linked to an espionage-related racket.
He stressed that the claim is false and that at no point did he make such a statement, adding that he has a record confirming that no such comment was given, and that the matter under investigation has no connection whatsoever to espionage.
Clarifying, Owoyesigyire said police at Kabalagala acted after a TikTok video went viral in early August 2025, showing a white woman collecting plastic bottles in Ggaba.
The video was accompanied by claims that she had been scammed and was now surviving by selling the plastic bottles. Concerned by the allegations, the Police traced and located the woman for an interview.
He added that preliminary findings revealed that the woman is Mary Grace Miller, a 64-year-old American citizen and teacher by profession who entered Uganda in September 2022 through the Busia border on a three-month visit visa, which expired on December 14, 2022.
She explained that she came to Uganda for a spiritual journey, has been attending prayers at Ggaba Catholic Church, and initially had sh20m for her upkeep, which has since been exhausted.
Miller told police that she has been living in a room provided by an acquaintance in Bunga but contrary to online claims, there is no evidence that she was scammed.
She was briefly detained while Police consulted with the Directorate of Immigration and the US Embassy, and she has since been handed over to Immigration for further management.