A 28-year-old Ugandan man who had been residing in Dubai has been remanded to Luzira Prison after allegedly defrauding a senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer of more than $61,900 (approximately UGX 200 million) in a botched property investment.
Christopher Oscar Kato, who lived in the upscale Lamtara 1 residential complex in Dubai’s Jumeirah district, was arraigned before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala on Friday. He was formally charged with one count of obtaining money by false pretence.
Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi presided over the hearing, during which prosecutors alleged that Kato duped Colonel Fred Zakye, Uganda’s defence attaché to Ethiopia, into investing in two residential apartments—identified as units 204 and 205 in Lamtara 1, Dubai. Kato had reportedly presented himself as a trustworthy intermediary capable of facilitating the purchase and management of the properties on behalf of the senior military officer.
According to court submissions, the deal appeared legitimate at first. Funds amounting to $61,900 were transferred by Col Zakye to Kato’s Emirates Bank account in 2022, with the understanding that the apartments would generate regular rental income. Kato allegedly committed to managing the units and forwarding rental proceeds to Zakye on a consistent basis.
However, prosecutors contend that while the apartments may have been acquired, the financial arrangement quickly deteriorated. Col Zakye is said to have received only two payments totalling $32,000—$20,000 in March 2023 and $12,000 in July of the same year. Subsequent attempts to communicate with Kato reportedly failed, with the accused allegedly becoming unreachable. Frustrated and suspicious, Col Zakye filed a formal complaint with Ugandan police on 16 August 2024.
Kato was arrested upon return to Uganda. He has since denied the charges brought against him.
His defence counsel, led by lawyer Soriea Jessa, told the court they intended to seek bail. However, Magistrate Kayizzi noted that the defence had not uploaded the necessary documents to the Judiciary’s Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECMIS), a mandatory requirement under the current bail application procedures.
Citing the absence of valid documentation and credible local sureties, the magistrate ordered that Kato be remanded until 4 June 2025. He emphasized that courts exercise heightened caution when considering bail for suspects who reside abroad, particularly in high-value financial crime cases.
The senior state attorney, Mr Kyazze, supported the remand request, stating that investigations were still ongoing and that further evidence was being compiled.
If found guilty, Kato could face several years in prison under Uganda’s Penal Code Act, which treats fraud and obtaining money by false pretences as serious criminal offences.
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