Police quiz Zzimwe over $1m bank fraud
Oct 17, 2003
THE Police have questioned businessman Andrew Kasagga alias Zzimwe (above), whose bank account in Barclays Bank in Kampala, was recently credited with over $1m fraudulently transferred from the Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya in Nairobi.
BY YUNUSU ABBEY
THE Police have questioned businessman Andrew Kasagga alias Zzimwe (above), whose bank account in Barclays Bank in Kampala, was recently credited with over $1m fraudulently transferred from the Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya in Nairobi.
Paul Kalemera, a Kampala lawyer working with Mulira and Company Advocates, was also quizzed and released on police bond.
He allegedly received $500,000 on his Crane Bank account.
Sources said CID detectives interviewed Crane Bank officials yesterday over the same case.
Ugandan and Kenyan detectives are hunting for a DR Congo national, Asuman Yahaya, believed to have masterminded the illegal cash transfer.
John Okoth Ochola, the deputy CID director, yesterday said no suspects had been detained.
“We can describe this as the biggest fraud ever to have taken place in the East African region in recent years. Our officers will definitely go to all the banks named in the fraud,†Ochola said.
Other sources insisted the prime suspects were likely to be in Nairobi where the fraud originated.
At least $1,050,000 (about sh2b) was between September 29 and October 6, 2003, wired by Swift Electronic Transfer from the Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya to Zzimwe’s current account No.1816335 in Barclays Bank, Kampala Road branch, purportedly for purchase of road construction equipment.
Zzimwe said he was first summoned to the CID headquarters on Monday where he recorded a statement. “I went back today (Thursday). I am certain they will summon me again,†he said.
“On October 7, they contacted me to cancel the deal,†he explained.
Zzimwe said he consulted Kimuli and refunded the money.
Kimuli advised that his client (Zzimwe) withholds $40,000 as a penalty for cancelling the deal.
“I appeal to the police to help me crack down on the suspects. They have tarnished my reputation,†Zzimwe said.
Investigators say Yahaya is a holder of a DR Congo passport No.C.0128782, issued in Kinshasa on December 12, 2000. It was renewed on September 10, 2003, by the DR Congo embassy in Kampala. It will now expire on September 9, 2006. Biselele Mutshipayi, a counsellor endorsed the passport which indicates that he is a businessman.
The cash transfers were made in two installments. “The first of $500,000 was transferred on September 29, 2003 while another $550,000 was wired to the same account on October 6, 2003,†said a source.
Elizabeth Kuteesa, the CID director, was optimistic that detectives would make a headway.
Zzimwe said about three smartly dressed men posing as Congolese businessmen from Paris, France duped him. He said one who identified himself as Asuman Yahaya was the leader. “Those fellows were indeed smart and cunning. It seems they first studied my movements before approaching me. They first contacted me in August this year and we held our first meeting at the Kampala Casino,†he said.
“The rest of the meetings took place in my office here (Mbogo Road, Kabalagala) where the deal (to sell road construction equipment) was sealed,†Zzimwe said.
The sale agreement was signed on September 8 and involved the purchase of Zzimwe’s five graders, five bulldozers and three wheel-loaders, all valued at $1,050,000.
Sigantories were Zzimwe and his son Paul Kasagga while Yahaya and Roger Gwe signed for the Congolese.
“Those Congolese wanted to buy my road construction equipment and even signed the sale agreement in my lawyer’s presence (Moses Kimuli),†he said.
“I thought I had clinched a clean deal. Those fellows looked rich and slept in expensive hotels. I did not doubt them until they changed their mind,†Zzimwe said.
Ends
THE Police have questioned businessman Andrew Kasagga alias Zzimwe (above), whose bank account in Barclays Bank in Kampala, was recently credited with over $1m fraudulently transferred from the Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya in Nairobi.
Paul Kalemera, a Kampala lawyer working with Mulira and Company Advocates, was also quizzed and released on police bond.
He allegedly received $500,000 on his Crane Bank account.
Sources said CID detectives interviewed Crane Bank officials yesterday over the same case.
Ugandan and Kenyan detectives are hunting for a DR Congo national, Asuman Yahaya, believed to have masterminded the illegal cash transfer.
John Okoth Ochola, the deputy CID director, yesterday said no suspects had been detained.
“We can describe this as the biggest fraud ever to have taken place in the East African region in recent years. Our officers will definitely go to all the banks named in the fraud,†Ochola said.
Other sources insisted the prime suspects were likely to be in Nairobi where the fraud originated.
At least $1,050,000 (about sh2b) was between September 29 and October 6, 2003, wired by Swift Electronic Transfer from the Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya to Zzimwe’s current account No.1816335 in Barclays Bank, Kampala Road branch, purportedly for purchase of road construction equipment.
Zzimwe said he was first summoned to the CID headquarters on Monday where he recorded a statement. “I went back today (Thursday). I am certain they will summon me again,†he said.
“On October 7, they contacted me to cancel the deal,†he explained.
Zzimwe said he consulted Kimuli and refunded the money.
Kimuli advised that his client (Zzimwe) withholds $40,000 as a penalty for cancelling the deal.
“I appeal to the police to help me crack down on the suspects. They have tarnished my reputation,†Zzimwe said.
Investigators say Yahaya is a holder of a DR Congo passport No.C.0128782, issued in Kinshasa on December 12, 2000. It was renewed on September 10, 2003, by the DR Congo embassy in Kampala. It will now expire on September 9, 2006. Biselele Mutshipayi, a counsellor endorsed the passport which indicates that he is a businessman.
The cash transfers were made in two installments. “The first of $500,000 was transferred on September 29, 2003 while another $550,000 was wired to the same account on October 6, 2003,†said a source.
Elizabeth Kuteesa, the CID director, was optimistic that detectives would make a headway.
Zzimwe said about three smartly dressed men posing as Congolese businessmen from Paris, France duped him. He said one who identified himself as Asuman Yahaya was the leader. “Those fellows were indeed smart and cunning. It seems they first studied my movements before approaching me. They first contacted me in August this year and we held our first meeting at the Kampala Casino,†he said.
“The rest of the meetings took place in my office here (Mbogo Road, Kabalagala) where the deal (to sell road construction equipment) was sealed,†Zzimwe said.
The sale agreement was signed on September 8 and involved the purchase of Zzimwe’s five graders, five bulldozers and three wheel-loaders, all valued at $1,050,000.
Sigantories were Zzimwe and his son Paul Kasagga while Yahaya and Roger Gwe signed for the Congolese.
“Those Congolese wanted to buy my road construction equipment and even signed the sale agreement in my lawyer’s presence (Moses Kimuli),†he said.
“I thought I had clinched a clean deal. Those fellows looked rich and slept in expensive hotels. I did not doubt them until they changed their mind,†Zzimwe said.
Ends