A Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF) officer and two other suspects have been charged before the General Court Martial over an alleged gold fraud scheme in which a foreign investor was reportedly defrauded of millions of dollars.

The suspects were arraigned by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, working in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) of the Uganda Police Force and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

Those charged are Major Nicholas Ntakirwa, also known as Gen James, a UPDF officer attached to the Directorate of Operations under the Land Forces; Mohammed Ali, a director at Duck Hunter Security Company Limited; and businessman Trevor Besigye.

According to the allegations, the three suspects and other individuals who are still at large were involved in obtaining money from Gafar Ibrahim Mohammed Elsawi, an investor associated with MAPSCO General Trading LLC, under false pretences.

The prosecution alleges that in September 2025, Major Ntakirwa presented himself as Gen James and, with the assistance of Mohammed Ali and Trevor Besigye, obtained USD 2.4 million from the investor, purportedly as payment for 30 kilogrammes of gold intended for export to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The alleged transaction took place on September 22, 2025, at the offices of Duck Hunter Security Company Limited in Muyenga, Makindye Division, Kampala.

According to the allegations, the suspects falsely represented that they were selling and exporting 30 kilogrammes of gold to Dubai, when they allegedly had no genuine transaction of the kind represented to the investor.

The suspects are also accused of obtaining an additional USD 120,000, reportedly worth more than UGX 500 million, from the investor on September 29, 2025.

Prosecution alleges that the additional payment was obtained under the pretence that the money would be paid to the Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), whereas it was allegedly not intended for that purpose.

Major Ntakirwa faces allegations relating to conduct said to be contrary to the morality, order and expectations of the Code of Conduct for the Defence Forces, in addition to the allegations concerning the purported gold transaction.

The case is being pursued by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with police investigators and the ODPP as authorities seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged transactions and the involvement of other individuals who remain at large.

The three accused have been remanded until November 16, 2026, as the court proceedings continue.