Pastor from Canada Pleads Guilty to Obtaining UGX2.3 Billion in Bogus Gold Deal

Left (in red) is Canadian Pastor Didier Borromee Bitome Kifoueti who has pleaded guilty to obtaining money by false pretense in a gold deal appearing in court with his co accused.

A Canada based Pastor Didier Borromee Bitome Kifoueti has pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining 600,000 dollars (approximately 2.3 billion shillings) by false pretense in a fictious gold deal.

The 55 year old of Congolese nationality practicing patoral business in Canada but currently residing at Serena Hotel in Kampala on Friday evening pleaded guilty before the City Hall Court presided over by Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Nicholas Aisu. He is charged jointly with with Marcel Christian Nayamoutet, 46, a Cameroonian national also resident at The Serena in Kampala and Hassan Katende 37 a Ugandan resident of Kakunule zone in Kyengera Town council, Wakiso district.

Didier who does his pastoral business in Canada has pleaded guilty to obtaining money but denied charges of conspiracy to commit a felony with others to defraud the complainant.However, the man of God’s co-accused have denied all charges against them.

The Court has heard that Didier, Marcel, Katende and others still at large between January and February 2026 at Serena Hotel Kampala with intent to defraud obtained monies worth $600,000 from Ahamed Mossaad Muhmoud Hassan Abouized.

It’s alleged that the accused persons falsely pretended that they were selling to him 50 kilograms of gold whereas not. It is further alleged that the accused persons between January and February 2026 at Serena Hotel Kampala conspired together to commit a felony by obtaining the said money by false pretense worth $600,000.

Following Didier’s plea, State Attorney Mercy Yamangusho told the court that the brief facts about how the crime was committed are not prepared. She has requested another date to prepare them for Didier who pleaded guilty so as to confirm if that’s how the crime was committed before the Court goes ahead to convict him.

According to Yamangusho, investigations in this matter haven’t yet been concluded. As a result, the accused have been remanded to Luzira prison until October 21, 2026, when they will return for mention of the case and presenting the brief facts of the case. Uganda has recently had gold scandals of unsuspecting investors defrauded defrauded of big monies.

In August 2026, the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court remanded a 64-year-old Canadian National to Luzira prison on charges of obtaining money by false pretense and dealing in minerals without a mineral delears license. Michel Faille a Consultant and resident of Mestil Hotel Nsambya Makindye Division in Kampala District was charged on allegations that between July and October 2025 at Accacia Mall, Kamwokya, Kampala Central, Kampala District, with intent to defraud, obtained money worth one million five hundred thousand United States dollars (approximately 5.6 billion Uganda shillings) from Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur by falsely pretending that they were going to facilitate the shipping of 16 tons of gold to Dubai whereas not.

Court heard that Michel Faille and others still at large, between July and October 2025 in Kololo, Kampala Central, Kampala District, was found in position of 740kg of nuggets suspected to be gold without a mineral dealers license. The Canadian however denied the charges against him.

Unlike Michel Faille who is the suspect in this, many Canadian investors have lost their monies here in Uganda in bogus gold scams. Foristance, Canadian national Clifford Max Potter lost 1 million dollars between 2016 and 2019 after entering into a gold purchase arrangement with Ugandan businessman Stephen Bairukanga.

According to the Criminal Investigations Directorate the money was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Bairukanga, but the promised gold was never delivered. The case also prompted investigations into whether the banks involved complied with Uganda’s anti-money laundering regulations.

Another Canadian national, Assi Soubhi, a dealer in rare and precious gemstones, reportedly lost about US$200,000 in a counterfeit gold transaction in Uganda in 2017. Following the alleged fraud, Soubhi worked with Uganda police to help expose a group of suspected gold scammers.

His cooperation led to the arrest of several suspects, including Stellah Birungi Dindi, David Kironde, Ronald Kamugisha, Nasser Kibirige, and Yazidi Kabonge, who were later charged with offences such as obtaining money by false pretences, conspiracy, impersonation, and forgery.

Uganda Police Force has repeatedly warned that such scams often target international businessmen seeking to purchase gold without carrying out adequate due diligence or verifying the credentials of dealers, some of whom include law firms, executed by lawyers. Some Gold dealers nowadays use killer weapons, and as recently as July 2026. one person was shot dead in a bogus gold transaction.

On August 31st 2026 four Policemen were also remanded by the City Hall Court on charges of obtaining 4 million dollars from Cartillo Paredes by claiming that they would help to ship for him 300kgs of gold to Dubai whereas not-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: [email protected]

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