Businessman charged, remanded over sh2.2b fertiliser fraud

KAMPALA - A city businessman has been arraigned before the Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding a Turkish firm of shillings 2.2 billion in fake fertiliser supply.

Ibrahim Muwonge alias Ibra's arraignment on May 11, 2026, followed his arrest by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), working with the Criminal Investigations Directorate and Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP). 

Muwonge was charged with obtaining goods by false pretence, electronic fraud, forgery, uttering false documents and conspiracy to commit a felony. He was remanded until May 28, 2026.

Explaining what exactly happened, SHACU said, “it is alleged that between February and December 2023, Muwonge, together with others still at large, using a company identified as Kureha (U) Ltd, duped a Turkish company, Iskenderun Fertilizer Inc., into sending 28 containers, each containing 540 bags of fertilizer valued at over sh2.2 billion, to Uganda.”

SHACU said upon receipt of the goods, Muwonge and his accomplices allegedly cut off communication with the company and placed the fertilizers on the market for sale.

Not the first case SHACU

This is not the first case in which arrests targeting suspected unscrupulous Ugandans conning investors, especially those from Turkey, have been made.

On July 23, 2025, the SHACU paraded four individuals for an alleged sophisticated fraud scheme targeting a Turkish investor, Furkan Gumran.

The suspects allegedly created a fictitious "Special Contracts Committee" and impersonated officials from the Office of the President and the Ministry of Energy to defraud the investor of approximately $4.95m (shillings 18.1 billion) in a bogus procurement deal for "Ad Blue" chemical supply.

Dr Charles Mulyansaka (alias Charles Jamesnoth), allegedly posed as the Chairperson of the Special Contracts Committee, described as a medical practitioner; Moses Mwesigwa was the purported director of procurement, described as a laboratory technician; Peter Watum was the purported secretary to the committee, described as a civil engineer; and Moses Seruma who was the communications/IT specialist, alleged to have managed fake, fraudulent emails.

The scheme

The group allegedly forged documents, including a "Confirmation of Supply of Universal Blue" dated July 2, 2025, which they claimed was issued by the Office of the President.

They targeted Furkan Gumran, a Turkish businessman, by offering a high-value, fake government contract.

The four were arrested on July 22, 2025, by the SHACU at AHA Towers on Lourdel Road in Kampala during a meeting aimed at collecting an initial payment.

On July 28, 2025, they appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court, facing charges of forgery, electronic fraud, conspiracy, and obtaining money by false pretences. The suspects were remanded to Luzira Prison.

The investigation indicated the suspects used fake identities to create a convincing, yet entirely fabricated, procurement structure.