Kampala, 13 August 2025 – Uganda’s State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU), in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), has 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 in the Parliamentary Building, Senior Officer Bamwiine Muhorozi said the suspects lured the victim, 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 companies had no gold to sell.
The arrested individuals are 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).
According to authorities, the suspects posed as gold sellers, clearing agents, company representatives, and a secretary to carry out the scam. Bamwiine noted that the arrest was made possible after Gbillah promptly reported the matter to the Unit.
“Working together, we organized a controlled meeting with the fraudsters, leading to their arrest before they could extort additional funds,” he said.
A search at the suspects’ rented premises in Muyenga, Kampala, uncovered around 150 kilograms of fake gold bars and imitation gold nuggets, which authorities said had been used to deceive multiple potential victims.
Bamwiine emphasized that while the Unit had intercepted similar scams before, 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 information with the relevant authorities and continue reporting suspicious activities to protect yourself from scams,” he advised.
