‎Fresh Details Link Two Nigerian High Commission Officials to a Disputed Gold Transaction

Fresh details have emerged linking two Nigerian nationals, including an official of the Nigerian High Commission in Kampala, to engagements surrounding a disputed gold transaction involving $288,000 (about Shs1.2 billion), for which the Second Deputy Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Haruna Bukenya, is facing criminal proceedings. ‎ ‎

In a letter dated September 14, 2026, addressed to the Nigerian Ambassador to Uganda, Bukenya identified the High Commission’s First Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Abdullahi, and Dr Sadiq Adam as people who were present during relevant stages of the transaction, including the gold-testing process and a subsequent engagement at the diplomatic mission.

‎ ‎Bukenya has asked the High Commission to preserve and, where permissible, facilitate access to CCTV footage from August 6, 2026, saying the recordings could provide an objective account of the events and help establish what happened. ‎ ‎“I also request your assistance in preserving and, where permissible, facilitating access to the High Commission’s CCTV/security footage for the relevant date and time,” Bukenya wrote. ‎ ‎He said the engagements included a meeting at the High Commission at about 5 p.m. on August 6 and requested an urgent audience with the Ambassador to present his account of the matter and seek guidance. ‎ ‎Bukenya indicated that he intended to attend the meeting with three other people, making a delegation of four. ‎ ‎Our reporter could not readily establish whether the Nigerian High Commission had responded to the request by the time of publication. ‎ ‎The request comes as Bukenya faces proceedings at Kampala City Hall Court alongside businessman Muzamiru Elias Lubega, the first accused in the alleged gold fraud case. ‎

‎According to the prosecution, Bukenya, Lubega and other suspects who have not been arrested allegedly obtained $288,000 from Muhammad Kwaido in Kampala on August 6, 2026, by falsely claiming that they were selling him three kilogrammes of gold.

‎ ‎The accused face charges of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 285 of the Penal Code Act, and conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence under Section 363 of the same law. ‎ ‎The prosecution alleges that the transaction was intended to defraud Kwaido. ‎

‎A laboratory report issued by Nuran-Ventures Limited on August 6 indicates that three gold bars weighing a total of three kilogrammes were submitted for testing by Muhammad Ibrahim Abdullahi. The report gave an average gold content of 99.36 per cent, equivalent to 24 karats.

‎ ‎However, the report cautions that its findings apply only to the samples received by the laboratory and do not necessarily apply to other material from the same source. It does not, on its own, establish whether the tested samples were the subject of the disputed transaction or resolve the allegations before court.

On Wednesday, Senior Grade One Magistrate Edgar Karakire issued criminal summons requiring Bukenya to appear before court after the prosecution sought to compel his attendance.

‎State prosecutor Miriam Akite told court that the prosecution could not provide the defence with the requested disclosures because the file had been called by the Director of Public Prosecutions following a complaint by Bukenya. ‎ ‎The case was adjourned to November 25, 2026, for mention.