The Makindye Magistrate’s Court has remanded Ssentumbwe James on charges of illegal trading in minerals without a licence.
Ssentumbwe faces multiple charges, including obtaining money by false pretence amounting to Shs 554.5 million (USD 150,000), conspiracy to defraud, forgery, and illegal trading in minerals without a licence. He has been remanded until 6 March 2026.
Investigators allege that in January 2026, at Muyonyo in Makindye Division, Ssentumbwe and his accomplice, Mr. Kibuye Adams Yawe who is still at large defrauded Malaysian national Mr. Kon Kin Kheong of USD 150,000. The money was allegedly obtained under the guise of processing documentation for exporting 50 kilograms of gold to Dubai.
The scheme reportedly involved forged credentials. Authorities say Kibuye possessed a forged State House identification card and presented himself as a political mobiliser to lend legitimacy to the fraudulent operation.
Investigations are ongoing, with several other suspected conspirators believed to be linked to Hey Transporters and Logistics in Lweza–Lubowa, Wakiso District, where illegal gold “processing” allegedly took place at an unlicensed refinery.
Authorities say efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects are underway as investigations continue.
