A 28-year-old Ugandan man living in Dubai has been charged with fraud after allegedly deceiving a senior Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) officer out of over USD 61,900 (about UGX 200 million) in a failed real estate investment.
Christopher Oscar Kato, a resident of Lamtara 1 in Jumeirah, Dubai, appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to a charge of cheating under Section 287 of the Penal Code Act. The charge was read by Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi, who advised Kato to apply for bail, noting the charge is bailable.
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Kato’s lawyer, Soriea Jessa, informed the court that they intended to file for bail but had not yet submitted the necessary documents through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECMIS). Magistrate Kayizzi, however, ordered that Kato be remanded, stating, “Take this time to properly organize your documents and secure credible sureties. This court is strict, especially when the accused resides abroad.”
According to prosecutor Ivan Kyazze, the alleged fraud occurred on June 30, 2022, in Kampala’s Central Division. Court documents allege that Kato persuaded Colonel Zakye, a defense attaché based in Ethiopia, to invest in two rental units in Dubai — apartments 204 and 205 in the Lamtara 1 building — promising rental income in return.
Following the agreement, Col. Zakye transferred USD 61,900 to Kato’s Emirates bank account. Although the apartments were reportedly acquired, the promised rental profits were not delivered as expected. Col. Zakye reportedly only received two payments: USD 20,000 in March 2023 and another USD 12,000 in July 2023.
After the partial payments, the officer allegedly attempted to contact Kato multiple times without success. “The complainant kept calling but got no response,” the court records state.
Kato has been remanded until June 4, when his bail application will be reconsidered. Investigations are still ongoing.
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