Court has remanded Godffrey Ssekidde Lubowa, a suspected serial fraudster, after he was charged with impersonating a senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer and defrauding investors of large sums of money.
Ssekidde was arraigned by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
He faces charges of obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and personation, and has been remanded until 21 January 2026.
Investigators say Ssekidde falsely presented himself as Maj Gen Sam Kiwanuka, claiming to be attached to the Office of the President, a position he allegedly used to convince investors that he had influence over government procurement processes.
Using the false identity, Ssekidde allegedly approached an investor and claimed he could secure a government contract for the supply of hand hoes and mosquito nets.
He told the investor that facilitation and processing fees were required before the contract could be awarded.
Authorities say the investor was persuaded to pay more than USD 197,570, believing the money was legitimate government-related fees. The promised contract never materialised.
Further investigations have revealed that Ssekidde is suspected to have used the same method to defraud several other investors, with total losses running into billions of shillings.
Security agencies say the suspect’s activities came to light after complaints were lodged by victims, prompting investigations that led to his arrest and subsequent arraignment.
