A Ugandan court has remanded four individuals to Luzira Prison on allegations of attempting to defraud a Turkish investor of nearly $5 million.
The suspects—Dr Charles Mulyansaka, Moses Mwesigwa, Moses Seruma, and Peter Watum—appeared before Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi at the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday. They face multiple charges, including forgery, uttering false documents, electronic fraud, and attempted felony.
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According to prosecutors, the group posed as officials from Uganda’s Office of the President and claimed to represent a non-existent “Special Contracts Committee.” They allegedly used forged documentation to reach out to Furkan Gumran, a Turkish businessman based in Dubai, convincing him he had won a $4.9 million contract from Uganda’s Ministry of Energy to supply a chemical product known as “Bloom,” used in fuel purification.
Attracted by the offer, Mr Gumran travelled to Uganda but began to grow suspicious after the suspects repeatedly changed scheduled meeting venues, shifting locations from Parliament to AHA Towers in Nakasero. He eventually alerted Uganda’s State House Anti-Corruption Unit, which organised a sting operation that led to the suspects’ arrest at AHA Towers last week.
In court, it was disclosed that each of the accused had assumed a false identity within the fictitious committee: Mulyansaka, a medical doctor, claimed to be the chairman; Mwesigwa acted as director of procurement; Seruma presented himself as the IT and communications officer; while Watum, a civil engineer, served as secretary.
All four pleaded not guilty and were remanded until 11 August 2025, pending further investigations.
Fraud targeting foreign investors remains a recurring issue in Uganda, especially in Kampala, where con artists often lure victims into fraudulent deals involving gold or fake contracts. In response, President Yoweri Museveni established the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, now led by Colonel Edith Nakalema, to handle such cases. The Directorate of Public Prosecutions has also formed a specialized unit for investor-related crimes, currently headed by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya.
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