Kasese businesswoman pinned for obtaining sh13m coffee by false pretence

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When Nathan Nuwagaba learnt that a Kasese businesswoman would buy all his nearly 10 bags of coffee (clean), he was thrilled. 

Over shillings 13 million for the 885kg of coffee beans (clean) was not bad cash at the beginning of the second quarter this year. Arabica coffee costs about shillings 12,000 in April. But he soon found out that roses, too, have thorns as the buyer, Racheal Kyankiima, from Kasese district, vanished with the coffee without paying him even a penny. 

Kyankiima had a day before reportedly shipped the coffee beans from the trader’s store in Kicuzi on April 1, 2025, together with the complainant. The businesswoman had promised to pay for the coffee after reaching Kasese, the Ibanda Grade One magistrate’s court heard on November 25, 2025.

Confused and desperate, Nuwagaba, a coffee dealer in Kishabo II in Kicuzi sub-county, Ibanda district, ran to the Police and lodged a case against her on April 2 to recover his money.

According to detective constable Duncan Bafaki of Ibanda Central Police Station, Kyankiima obtained the 885 kilogrammes of coffee beans (clean) worth shillings 13.27 million by false pretence on April 1, 2025. 

Bafaki, the investigating officer of the case, said the suspect was tracked down, arrested and transferred to Ibanda to face the charges.

The Police officer presented to the court a call data printout from MTN as evidence that the accused had communicated with the complainant before and after taking the coffee. 

Kyankiima is also facing a similar case of obtaining goods (coffee) by false pretence from another trader in Ibanda and ferrying it to Kasese without paying him.

The suspect, who is on remand at Nyabuhikye Prison, denies any wrongdoing. When she returns to the court, it will be to give her defence.