Sudanese Refugee Fraudster Remanded Over 2.3Bn Gold Scam
By Angel Lubowa
BUGANDA ROAD
COURT at Buganda road on Tuesday , November 19,2024
charged Abdul Aziz Yousif Mohammad Adam aka Aziz, a Sudanese nationality and a refugee on a charges of Obtaining Money by False Pretense.
The accused and others still at large in the months of September and October 2024, within the areas of Kampala district, with intent to defraud, obtained USD 650,000 approximately over UGX2.3 billion from Osman Hussan an investor from Dubai, by falsely pretending that they were to sell gold to him whereas not.
The group was arrested in an operation led by State House Anti Corruption unit and Uganda police and the office of the DPP following a presidential directive to safe guard investors from gold scammers.
Similar operations have arrested many fake gold dealers at Entebbe international airport.
The Buganda Road senior principle magistrate grade one,Jalia Basajabalaba remanded him to Luzira Prison until November 28,2024.
The records indicate that in September, Abdel Azim Hussien Mohamad Hosman, an investor contacted his relative Osman, a resident of Dubai where he has a gold business, to buy 20 kilograms of gold from Uganda on his behalf and send it to Dubai. It is further alleged that Osman contacted Aziz, a gold broker who had 785kgs of pure gold ready for shipment in his possession and being kept with a company, Exxaro Minerals International Limited in Lubowa.
“On September 26, 2024, Osman Hassan met Mohamed Awadalla Mohamed Osman in Ntinda at Hillside Plaza Hotel in Ntinda and he confirmed the existence of 785 kilograms of pure gold,” reads the court documents.
The documents further add that Osman presented a safekeeping receipt dated March 2, 2023, from Exxaro Minerals International Limited indicating that he had deposited the said gold with them. As a result, on September 27, 2024, the duo went to Exxaro Minerals International Limited where they met the manager a one Lyman, who also confirmed that they had kept the gold in their possession.
The documents further indicate that Lyman told Osman that the gold needed to go for the smelting process and that each kg of the 785kgs of gold would cost $100 (about Shs 360,000). Upon leaving the office, Osman reportedly paid $18,000 (appx. Shs 66 million) for accommodation at Slide Plaza Hotel for Awadalla as partial payment for the gold purchase.
Additionally, records show that he paid $5,000 (about Shs 18.5 million) in cash as a partial payment for the gold in the presence of Yousif and handed over $82,000 (appx. Shs 303 million) to Lyman for 785kgs of gold.
Six bags containing the purported gold were delivered to the office of Exxaro Minerals International Limited, accompanied by security personnel. Upon inspection, the complainant believed the gold to be genuine. Lyman reportedly informed the complainant that the smelted gold would be stored at customs.
On September 30, Lyman informed Osman that they were arranging documents to export 20kgs of the purported gold and requested $144,000 (about Shs 533 million) to pay taxes and exporting fees. Awadala Aziz and the company lawyer also received $48,000 (Shs 177 million) as brokerage fees.
It is further alleged that, on October 3, the complainant, accompanied by his son, met with Lyman at the VIP Lounge, Entebbe, at 9 pm. Lyman showed them 20kgs of the purported gold, along with documents including a certificate of origin, export permission, ownership certificate, and commission documents, while seeking the balance of $44,000 (about Shs 162 million).
The buyer allegedly developed suspicion of the whole deal and approached authorities who swang into action arresting the suspect while others are still on the run.
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