Businessman, carpenter remanded over sh4b fraud

By Margret Zalwango

KAMPALA - A businessman and a carpenter have been charged in relation to a shillings 4.7 billion electronic fraud case involving Kampala District Land Board chairperson David Balondemu.

On February 21, 2025, afternoon the State House Anti-Corruption Unit arraigned Ronald Kaweesa Kisitu alias Tumusiime Denis and Martin Kasenge known as Dr Musinguzi Alfred before Buganda Road Magistrates Court over charges of electronic fraud, forgery and uttering false documents.

The charge sheet presented before Grade One Magistrate Dan Mwesigwa also has David Balondemu, Kaweesa, Geofrey Mkwe Eric aka Ivan Muhire, a lawyer and associate at Bloom Advocates and Joel Ibona, an accountant at Balondemu's owned Bloom Advocates, and a resident of Namungona, Rubaga division in Kampala district.

Charges

It's alleged that the group and others still at large in September 2022 at Kampala in Kampala district, with intent of securing an unlawful gain, made communication through a computer network to wit LinkedIn account in the names of African Natural Cannabis/ Marijuana and obtained $553,500.

The fraud is said to have been done through Bloom Advocates account in Stanbic Bank US dollar account No.9030020729839 held at Garden City Branch from KG Unlimited LLC, Florida, USA by deception that the funds were required by the Government of Uganda to cover among others registration fees of a local company and attendant disbursements for pre-qualification to participate in a single source bidding for procuration/supply of water plants-small grain, whereas not.

In an amended charge sheet presented to court by state prosecutor Ivan Kyazze alleged that Kasenge, Balondemu, Kaweesa, Mkwe, Ibona and others still at large in October 2022 at Kampala with intent of securing an unlawful gain, made communication through a computer network to wit an email address (klaconsulting-group@yahoo.com), and obtained $553,500 through Bloom Advocates Stanbic Bank US Dollar account number 9030020729839 held at Garden City Branch from KG Unlimited LLC, Florida, USA by deception that the said funds were required by the Government of Uganda to cover among others registration fees of a local company, disbursements, security deposit for pre-qualification to participate in a single source bidding for procuration/supply of water plant-small grain, whereas not.

Balondemu and the group are also accused of on January 25, 2023, obtaining $150,000 through the same account number from KG Unlimited LLC, Florida, USA by falsely pretending that it was required by the Government of Uganda as statutory compliance fees to pre-qualify and/or participate in a single source bidding for procuration/ supply of water plant-small grain whereas not.

According to prosecution, on April 11, 2023, at Kampala in Kampala District, obtained $200,000 still through the same account number by falsely pretending that it was required by the Government of Uganda as statutory compliance fees to pre-qualify and/or participate in a single source bidding for procuration/ supply of water plant-small grain whereas not.

Those offences are contrary to section 18 of the Computer Misuse Act Cap 96, section 285 of the Penal Code Act Cap 128 and section 363 of the Penal Code Act Cap 128, respectively.

On a separate charge, it is alleged that Ibona made a false document which was a statement of particulars required to be given pursuant to the Business Name Registration Act purporting it to have been signed by Isiko Timothy Jonathan whereas not.

Further, the charge sheet states that Ibona in July 2022 knowingly and fraudulently uttered a false document, to wit a Statement of Particulars required to be given pursuant to the Business Name Registration Act to one, Chandia Agnes, a registrar with Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) at Uganda Registration Services Bureau.

Prosecution further avers that on July 19, 2022, in Kampala district, Knowingly and fraudulently uttered a false document, to wit, Statement of Particulars required to be given pursuant to the Business Name Registration Act to a business banker at/of Stanbic Bank, Uganda Limited at Stanbic Bank, Garden City Branch.

The five accused persons further between September 2022 and April 2023 at Kampala conspired to commit a felony of obtaining USD 553500 by False pretence from KG Unlimited LLC Florida, USA.

Investigations are complete

Prosecutor Ivan Kyazze told court that investigations are complete and hearing of the case commenced but they intended to recall prosecution witness number one for the sake of the two co-accused included on the file.

He further told court that Kaweesa was arrested on a warrant of arrest issued by the same court hence requesting an adjournment to March 27, 2025, for hearing of the case.

Bail application

Kasenge represented by lawyer Angozosi Serwadda applied for bail presenting his long-time friends Syrus Mugenyi and Samson Tumusiime, a communications officer with the State House.

Olivia Nakubulwa for Kaweesa asked court to consider the first bail application granted to the accused in 2023 before the case was dismissed or given a short adjournment for another bail application.

State attorney Ivan Kyazze asked court for time to carry out an investigation for the actual place of abode based on the particulars availed to Police by Kasenge, as a resident of Kkungu in Wakiso district and for Kaweesa, he said this is new file with a different case number by different offences was purely different from which the lawyer was referring to.