Chinese tourists remanded over sh63m casino fraud allegations
Prosecution alleges that the two men used fraudulent tricks while playing a baccarat game to obtain cash from the casino.
The two chinese nationals appearing before the buganda road chief magistrate’s court. (Credit: Sophia Kagoya)
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Two Chinese nationals have been remanded to Luzira Prison over allegations of cheating a Kampala casino out of sh63m using fraudulent tricks and a device allegedly designed to manipulate gaming cards.
Liu Min, 36, and Li Wenshuang, 40, appeared before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of cheating and forging tickets following their arrest at Pujing Casino, located at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.
The accused, who are Chinese nationals visiting Uganda, were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa, but did not take plea after the prosecution requested for an adjournment to secure a Chinese-language interpreter.
Chief State Attorney Joan Keko, who led the prosecution team, told court that the accused did not understand English and needed an interpreter to enable them to understand the charges and participate meaningfully in the proceedings.
The magistrate remanded the two to Luzira Prison until November 6, 2026, when they are expected to return to court for plea-taking and further proceedings.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged offences occurred on October 25, 2026, at Pujing Casino on Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala Central Division.
Prosecution alleges that the two men used fraudulent tricks while playing a baccarat game to obtain cash from the casino.
Prosecution further alleges that the two committed the offences after each purchased casino chips worth sh10m, bringing their combined stake to sh20m.
However, before the casino could pay out the alleged winnings, its surveillance team reportedly raised an alarm after observing what it suspected to be cheating during the game.
A subsequent security search allegedly recovered four playing cards associated with Pujing Casino, two other playing cards reportedly linked to another casino, and two devices suspected of being capable of compromising the gaming system.
The items were seized and handed over to police as investigations were conducted. The case file was subsequently submitted to the relevant authorities for legal guidance.
In a development that could raise concern among gaming operators and investors, Keko told court that the case was not an isolated incident, alleging that the prosecution had recently handled another case involving a Chinese national.
The state attorney expressed concern that Chinese nationals were allegedly targeting fellow Chinese investors through suspected fraudulent schemes.
She reportedly warned that the alleged conduct could create mistrust among investors and discourage potential investors from doing business in Uganda and prayed to court to put them into a trial before reporting them.
Keko described the situation as a growing concern, saying it was becoming a “tender” for Chinese tourists to allegedly defraud fellow Chinese investors.
The prosecution also informed court that investigations into the matter were complete and requested that a hearing date be fixed.
The two accused face two counts: cheating, contrary to Section 287 of the Penal Code Act, and forging tickets, contrary to Section 66(a) and (c) of the Lotteries and Gaming Act.
Under the charge as presented, prosecution alleges that the accused used fraudulent tricks to obtain money from the casino. The applicable penalty must be confirmed against the version of the Penal Code Act in force and the precise provision charged before a definitive maximum sentence can be stated.
The second count alleges that the accused altered playing cards or tickets with the assistance of a card-changing device, with intent to defraud the casino. The precise penalty under Section 66(a) and (c) of the Lotteries and Gaming Act, Cap 334, should likewise be verified against the applicable law before publication.
If convicted, the accused could face the penalty of three years imprisonment.
The matter returns to Court on November 6, 2026, for both plea taking and hearing.