The Second Deputy Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Haruna Bukenya, has asked the Nigerian High Commission in Kampala to preserve and facilitate access to CCTV footage relating to a disputed gold transaction at the centre of a $288,000 (about 1.2 billion Shillings) fraud case.
In a letter dated September 14, 2026, Bukenya asked the High Commission to preserve security recordings from August 6, when he says discussions and engagements concerning the gold transaction took place at the diplomatic mission.
Bukenya, who is facing allegations arising from the transaction, said the footage could provide an objective account of the events and help establish the facts before the relevant authorities.
“I also request your assistance in preserving and, where permissible, facilitating access to the High Commission’s CCTV/security footage for the relevant date and time,” Bukenya wrote in the letter addressed to the Nigerian Ambassador to Uganda.
He said the transaction involved discussions and arrangements at the High Commission, with the participation of the mission’s First Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Abdullahi, and Dr Sadiq Adam, whom he said were present during relevant stages of the engagement.
According to Bukenya, these included the gold-testing process and a subsequent engagement at the High Commission on August 6 at about 5 p.m.
He also requested an urgent audience with the Ambassador to present his account of the matter and seek guidance. The letter indicated that he intended to attend the meeting with three other people.
Our reporter could not readily establish whether the Nigerian High Commission had responded to Bukenya’s request by the time of publication.
The request comes as Bukenya faces proceedings at Kampala City Hall Court in a case involving businessman Muzamiru Elias Lubega, who is the first accused.
Prosecution alleges that Bukenya, Lubega and other suspects who have not been arrested obtained $288,000 from Muhammad Kwaido on August 6, 2026, in Kampala, under the pretext of selling him three kilogrammes of gold.
The accused face charges of obtaining money by false pretence and conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, contrary to Sections 285 and 363 of the Penal Code Act, respectively.
In a related document, a laboratory report issued by Nuran-Ventures Limited on August 6 indicates that three gold bars weighing a total of three kilogrammes were submitted for testing by Muhammad Ibrahim Abdullahi. The report gave an average gold content of 99.36 per cent, equivalent to 24 karats.
However, the report states that its findings apply only to the samples received by the laboratory and do not necessarily apply to other material from the same source. The document alone does not establish whether the tested gold was the subject of the disputed transaction or resolve the allegations before court.
On Wednesday, Senior Grade One Magistrate Edgar Karakire issued criminal summons requiring Bukenya to appear before court after the prosecution sought to compel his attendance. The case was adjourned to November 25, 2026, for mention.
State prosecutor Miriam Akite told court that the prosecution was unable to provide the defence with the requested disclosures because the file had been called by the Director of Public Prosecutions following a complaint by Bukenya-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
