The shadowy world of Kampala’s gold trade was thrust back into the spotlight on Friday when security operatives from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) and Police CID raided the Ntinda offices of businessman Jailes Bahati Mumbere, alias JB Mumbere, over allegations of a multi-million-dollar gold scam.
Investigators accuse Bahati of fleecing a Congolese investor of $2 million (about Shs 7.4 billion) after promising to deliver 1,500 kilograms of gold that never existed.
When the joint security team stormed the premises, Bahati who was inside at the time reportedly saw them on CCTV cameras and fled through a concealed escape route behind his office.
Witnesses say he scaled the perimeter wall but was badly wounded by barbed wire, leaving behind a trail of blood.
His current whereabouts remain unknown. Intelligence sources believe he may be receiving treatment at a private facility in Kampala, but his known phone numbers have since been switched off.
The dramatic escape has reinforced Bahati’s reputation as one of Uganda’s most elusive figures in the troubled gold trade, where fraud scandals have dented the country’s international reputation.
Staff Arrested, Cars Seized
Security operatives arrested 23 of Bahati’s workers, who are currently being held in various police cells across Kampala. Their case files are being processed with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for expeditious court action.
Authorities also impounded 10 luxury vehicles found at his office, among them a Ford Raptor, Ford Ranger, Mercedes Benz GLE, Benz Bluetec, Benz 4Matic, Toyota Hilux double cabin, Toyota Mark X, Toyota Noah, and Toyota Raum.
SHACU maintains that Bahati remains a wanted man and vowed to “hunt him down until he faces the law.”
Bahati’s Business Footprint
Bahati first appeared in the media as a representative of Blessed Riverstones Uganda Ltd, a Kampala-based mineral trading company. He consistently defended himself against allegations of fraud, branding reports as malicious campaigns intended to tarnish his name and block his exports.
He insisted that his firm was licensed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, paid taxes, and underwent the necessary scrutiny from regulators.
In some instances, Bahati accused unknown groups of impersonating his employees and frustrating his shipments to Dubai, a key gold hub.
But investigative reports linked him to Kampala’s murky gold underworld. Earlier this year, it is alleged that Bahati and associates orchestrated scams under the guise of legitimate mineral trading.
Other outlets suggested that he sometimes operated under the name “JB Mumbere.”
Friday’s raid appears to confirm long-standing suspicions within security circles.
Uganda’s Gold Trade Under Scrutiny
Gold has in recent years overtaken coffee as Uganda’s leading export earner. Yet the sector is riddled with allegations of money laundering, tax evasion, and fraud, often involving foreign investors from the Middle East and Central Africa.
Several scandals from fake consignments to non-existent gold deals have made headlines, prompting international agencies to raise red flags about the country’s regulatory framework.
Bahati’s case has become the latest flashpoint, raising questions about how such deals continue to flourish despite repeated government crackdowns.
