A man previously charged with impersonating a senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer has been further remanded after being linked to another major fraud case in which Namibian investors lost over $257,896 (approximately shs 1 billion) in a fictitious military supply contract.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU), working with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), arraigned Ssekidde Lubowa Godfrey alongside Ibona Joseph before the Anti-Corruption Court in Wandegeya on multiple charges, including money laundering, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery, uttering false documents, personation and conspiracy to defraud. The two were remanded until May 19, 2026, while investigations continue into other suspects still at large.
According to investigators, the accused, together with accomplices, defrauded Namibian-based companies Etosha Defensive Systems Pty Ltd and Penda Enterprises CC between September 2022 and May 2023. The victims were convinced to part with large sums of money under the pretext that they were securing a lucrative government contract to supply military items, including army uniforms, boots, sleeping bags and mosquito nets.
Authorities say the suspects falsely claimed the money was required for facilitation fees, disbursements and bid security payments to enable the registration of a local company and secure approval from the Office of the President. The funds were reportedly channelled through a law firm’s bank account to create an appearance of legitimacy and bypass scrutiny.
Ssekidde, who has already been on remand in a separate case, is accused of posing as a Major General attached to the Office of the President, a tactic investigators say he repeatedly used to win the confidence of foreign investors. His earlier case involves defrauding a Kenyan company of approximately USD 197,570 (about UGX 731 million) through a similarly fabricated government contract for the supply of hand hoes and mosquito nets.
Investigators now believe the latest case is part of a broader and well-coordinated fraud scheme targeting foreign investors with promises of non-existent government procurements. The scams, which often involve forged documents, fake approvals and the misuse of official symbols, have reportedly led to losses running into billions of shillings.
Authorities say the continued emergence of victims highlights the scale and sophistication of the network, as well as the reputational damage such schemes pose to Uganda’s investment climate. SH-ACU has reiterated its warning to investors to verify all government contracts through official channels and avoid making payments based on unofficial requests, especially from individuals claiming ties to the military or the Office of the President.
