By KT Reporte
The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has remanded a 28-year-old civilian, Christopher Oscar Kato, to Luzira Prison over allegations of defrauding a senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer of more than USD 61,900 (approximately UGX 200 million) in a failed property investment deal in Dubai.
On Friday, Kato, a resident of Lamtara 1 in Jumeirah, Dubai, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi and was charged with one count of cheating. The prosecution alleges that Kato obtained the money from Colonel Fred Zakye, a defense attaché in Ethiopia, under the pretext of purchasing two rental apartments in Dubai on his behalf. Kato reportedly claimed he would collect rental income from the properties and remit it to the officer.
It is alleged that Kato convinced Col. Zakye to invest in apartments 204 and 205 in Lamtara 1, Jumeirah, Dubai, promising regular returns from rental income. The funds were sent to Kato’s Emirates Bank account as part of their agreement. While the apartments were reportedly acquired, the expected financial returns were not delivered transparently.
Court documents indicate that Col. Zakye only received USD 32,000 in two installments—USD 20,000 in March 2023 and USD 12,000 in July 2023. After the partial payments, Col. Zakye allegedly tried several times to follow up with Kato but got no response, leading him to file a police report on August 16, 2024. Kato denied the charges.
Through his lawyers, led by Soriea Jessa, he informed the court of his intention to apply for bail. However, the defense had not yet uploaded the necessary documentation to the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECMIS), as is now required for bail applications. Chief Magistrate Kayizzi said he had no option but to remand Kato until June 4, 2025, advising him to organize his paperwork and secure stronger sureties to support his bail application.
The magistrate emphasized that the court maintains strict scrutiny on sureties, particularly for individuals residing outside the country. Senior State Attorney Kyazze requested an adjournment as investigations are still ongoing-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
