Man charged with cheating UPDF officer in Dubai property deal
Christopher Oscar Kato in the dock at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s court. Photo | Juliet Kigongo
What you need to know:
- Kato reportedly convinced Col. Zakye to invest in apartments 204 and 205 in Lamtara 1 in Jumeirah, Dubai, promising regular returns from rental income.
A 28-year-old Ugandan national based in Dubai has been charged with cheating after allegedly defrauding a senior Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) officer of over USD 61,900 (approx. Shs200 million) in a failed property investment deal.
Mr Christopher Oscar Kato, a resident of Lamtara 1 in Jumeirah, Dubai, appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Kato denied the charge of cheating contrary to Section 287 of the Penal Code Act. The charge was read by Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi, who advised the accused to apply for bail as the case against him is bailable.
"We have instructions to apply for bail, Your Worship, but we have not yet uploaded the documents on ECMIS," Kato's lawyer, Soriea Jessa, informed the court. However, Chief Magistrate Kayizzi remanded Kato, reasoning, "Use this time to organize your paperwork very well and get better sureties. Whoever tries to do paperwork in a hurry does not succeed. We are very strict on sureties in this court, especially for someone who stays in Dubai."
According to the prosecution led by Ivan Kyazze, the alleged offense occurred on June 30, 2022, within Central Division, Kampala. Court documents indicate that Kato obtained USD 61,900 from Colonel Zakye, a defense attaché in Ethiopia, claiming he would purchase two rental apartments in Dubai on his behalf.
Kato reportedly convinced Col. Zakye to invest in apartments 204 and 205 in Lamtara 1 in Jumeirah, Dubai, promising regular returns from rental income. The funds were sent to Kato’s Emirates bank account following their agreement. However, while the apartments were reportedly acquired, the financial returns were not delivered transparently.
It was revealed 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 receiving partial payments, Col. Zakye allegedly attempted to follow up with Kato several times but received no response. "The complainant kept calling but got no reply," reads part of the court documents.
The magistrate ordered that Kato be remanded until June 4, when the court will revisit his bail application. Investigations into the case are still ongoing.
