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KAMPALA - A Kampala businessman has been remanded to Luzira Prison on charges of obtaining money worth $913,800 (sh3.5b) from an Eritrean national, by false pretence.  

Prosecution claims that Ram Businge alias Philips Akullo and others still at large, defrauded Sami Ezra of sh3.5b, pretending that he was to supply him with 27 tonnes of mercury.

Businge appeared before Buganda Road Court in Kampala on Tuesday, March 12, and denied a charge of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to section 305 of the Penal Code Act (PCA).

According to PCA, any person who by any false pretence, and with intent to defraud, obtains from any other person anything capable of being stolen, or induces any other person to deliver to any person anything capable of being stolen, commits a felony and is liable to imprisonment for five years.  

Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi remanded the accused person to Luzira Prison until March 26, 2024, when he will re-appear in court for mention of his case.

“You will know the status of investigations in the matter when the state prosecutor is in court on March 26,” Kayizzi told the accused person.

According to the charge sheet, Businge, 37, is a businessman dealing in general trade, and a resident of Mutungo Zone, Nakawa Division, Kampala district. At first, Businge pretended to be a Kenyan but the Kenyan authorities disowned him.  

The charge of obtaining money by false pretence was slapped on Businge by Superintendent of Police Joel Ntabu and sanctioned by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Frances Abodo.

Allegations

Prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large between June 6 and 11, 2023 at King Fahad in Kampala district with intent to defraud, obtained sh3.5b from Ezra by falsely pretending that they were to supply him with 27 tonnes of mercury through Mercury Trading HG Company, whereas not.

According to the complaint, he transferred the money through a forex bureau from Dubai after seeing the mercury. However, the accused kept on lying that the container having the mercury was at Mombasa Port in transit to Dubai.