Violent Gold Scams Surge in Uganda, Claiming Lives

The lucrative gold trade in Uganda, which emerged as the country’s top foreign exchange earner in 2025 with $5.2 billion, is increasingly becoming a dangerous arena for unsuspecting investors. Criminals, once content with fraudulent paperwork, have now adopted a more brutal approach, employing firearms and committing murder to achieve their illicit gains.

A recent victim of this violent trend was Jama Munyaradzi, a British-Zimbabwean national, who was robbed of $600 and subsequently killed. Munyaradzi had intended to purchase gold worth $19,000 and was lured into a deal that ultimately led to his demise. Reports indicate that the perpetrators discovered Munyaradzi possessed $4.25 million in cryptocurrency and plotted to seize it.

Allegedly, Tonny Kasule, also known as Anthony, orchestrated a plan involving several individuals, including Dan Nabaasa and Paul Tasingika, to forcibly acquire the cryptocurrency. Munyaradzi was abducted from a Kampala hotel, taken to a hideout, and pressured to reveal his passwords. Despite surrendering the passwords, the suspects were unable to access the cryptocurrency due to multi-signature requirements.

The suspects are accused of robbing Munyaradzi of cash before fatally assaulting him and dumping his body in Lake Victoria. Investigations by police and the military led to the arrest and confession of Kasule, Bashir Ali Mugabe, Nabaasa, and Tasingika, who now face charges of aggravated robbery and murder.

Last year, the Police Mineral Protection Unit investigated 135 gold-related criminal cases, recovering significant amounts of gold, money, and vehicles. Common offenses include obtaining money by false pretense, illegal mineral dealing, theft, aggravated robbery, and smuggling. The alarming increase in these crimes is often exacerbated by the involvement of high-profile individuals, legal firms, and security personnel, making it difficult for victims to identify perpetrators.

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/gold-scam-fraudsters-turn-violent-5504556