Two remanded for allegedly defrauding Korean investor of Shs1b in gold scam
James Jeff Mugisha and Godfrey Maviri being led by officials from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to City Hall Court on October 4, 2023. Photo | Juliet Kigongo
What you need to know:
- According to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit the accused met at Imperial Residence Apartment where Mr Hyun was shown gold nuggets and later taken to M/S NSB advocates and legal consultants.
James Jeff Mugisha, 34, and Godfrey Maviri, 38, both self-employed were Wednesday arraigned before Kampala Capital City Authority City (KCCA) Hall Grade One Magistrate Rehema Nassozi Ssebowa who officially read the charges to them. However, they pleaded not guilty to the charges slapped against them.
The trial magistrate Nassozi informed the two accused persons that the case against them was bailable but they informed court that they did not have sureties leading to their remand to Luzira prison until October 25.
The suspects are charged with two counts of obtaining money by false pretense contrary to section 305 of the Penal Code Act and conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to section 390 of the Penal Code Act.
Prosecution led by Ms Mercy Yamangusho Khaidarah told court that inquiries in the matter are complete, however, since there are other suspects at large, she sought for the next mention date of the case to enable their arrest.
According to the charge sheet, Mugisha, Maviri and others still at large between the months of August 2021 and November 2021 at the offices of M/S NSB Advocates along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala City, conspired and obtained $300,000 (about Shs 1,120,770,000 billion) by falsely pretending that they were selling to Hyun UK Kim 53 kilograms of gold whereas not.
Court documents further indicate that Mr Hyun was contacted by Mugisha who knew the alleged gold seller to whom he got in touch with after being picked from the airport by the alleged son and interpreter of the seller.
According to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit the accused met at Imperial Residence Apartment where Mr Hyun was shown gold nuggets and later taken to M/S NSB advocates and legal consultants.
“That a Memorandum of Understanding was signed for the complainant (Mr Hyun) to pay a deposit of $208,000 (about Shs700 million). Upon which, he was advised to bring cash which he handled over to the law firm. However, instead of the gold being transported by land as asked by the complainant, he was told to pay $62,000 (over Shs200m) for Cargo Flight Insurance,” states the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
It is further stated that during all these transactions at the law firm, Maviri was in the company of the gold seller and upon a search at his home, six kilograms of suspected gold nuggets were recovered.
