A daring attempt to defraud a Turkish investor of nearly USD 5 million has been thwarted by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU), following a covert operation in Kampala that led to the arrest of four individuals posing as top government officials.
The suspects had allegedly forged documents claiming to offer Mr. Furkan Gumran, a Turkish businessman and director of SIRUS BLUE CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING CO. LTD, a lucrative contract with Uganda’s Ministry of Energy to supply AD BLUE a chemical used in curbing vehicle emissions. The bogus deal was valued at USD 4,952,000.
The fraud was uncovered after Mr. Gumran grew suspicious of the offer and approached SH-ACU to verify its authenticity. Working closely with the Anti-Corruption Unit, Mr. Gumran helped set up a sting operation that led to the arrest of the suspects at AHA Towers in Kampala. 
“We commend Mr. Gumran for not proceeding blindly. His prudence and trust in Ugandan institutions helped us bring these criminals to justice,” said Mr. Israel Ochwo, Deputy Head of SH-ACU, during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Those arrested in connection with the scam include:
Dr. Mulyansaka Charles – allegedly posing as Chairman, Special Contracts Committee
Mwesigwa Moses – impersonating the Director of Procurement
Seruma Moses – presenting himself as a Communications/IT Specialist
Watum Peter – claiming to be the Secretary
SH-ACU described the scam as elaborate, with forged contracts and fake credentials designed to convince Mr. Gumran of its legitimacy.
The arrests mark a major breakthrough in what authorities say is a growing trend of sophisticated fraud schemes targeting foreign investors in Uganda.
“Let this be a warning to con artists exploiting Uganda’s image to steal from genuine investors. We are watching and we are coming for you,” Ochwo warned.
The unit also used the opportunity to urge all investors to cross-check the validity of any purported government contracts through SH-ACU or the Shield Investors Protection Unit (SH-IPU)—a sister agency tasked with investor fraud protection.
In a related case, SH-ACU is appealing to the public for information on the whereabouts of Ssekidde Lubowa Godfrey, alias “Maj Gen. Sam Kiwanuka,” who is wanted for allegedly defrauding Kenya-based Sidari Limited of USD 197,670 using falsified documents bearing the names of the Office of the President and the Bank of Uganda.
The unit emphasized that such scams not only damage the country’s international reputation but also discourage legitimate investment in Uganda’s economy.