[UAH] The Observer - Danish national, wife conned out of Shs 2bn

http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25826:danish-national-wife-conned-out-of-shs-2bn-&catid=34:news&Itemid=114

Written by Siraje Lubwama

A Danish national and his wife are out of money after they were conned by a Ugandan of Shs 2bn. Carstine Jespersten and his wife Leaty Ssebowa, say they were fleeced by Edward Ddumba Muwawu, in a botched gold transaction.

Muwawu, who is now on remand at Luzira, is accused of obtaining money by false pretence, from the complainants between December 2010 and December 2011. During hearing on Wednesday, before Justice Rugadya Atwooki, Jespersten, on cross-examination, surprised court when he failed to remember the number of times and, amounts of money, he gave Muwawu. He said he had a short memory.

Jespersten, who fainted during cross-examination and later prayed for a 10 minute adjournment, said part of the money belonged to his father. The accused's lawyers James Muhumuza and Steven Ssali Ssenkeezi accused Jespersten of squandering his father's money and then seeking a scapegoat.

An angry Jespersten countered, saying: "Are you mad? Muwawu kept the iron hot on by always calling [my] telephone endlessly, asking me for more money, claiming it was for lawyers, taxes and many other things, except that I don't recall when I gave him how much, because I have a short memory and we never wrote anywhere, because I trusted him," Jespersten said, sending the court into bouts of laughter.

For his part, Muwawu acknowledged that he was introduced to Jespersten by a one Egesa, as a gold dealer. The trio met in Muwawu's home in Naalya and, later went to a shrine in Masaka, where the accused showed the plaintiff a wooden box, which he said contained 70kg of gold.

Later, Jespersten agreed to buy 25kg of gold at Shs  520,000 per kg and Muwawu reportedly agreed to deliver it to Brussels. Muwawu was later given Shs 110m to transport the gold. At an unspecified time, Muwawu, who was reportedly headed for Brussels, called Jespersten, who left Denmark for the rendezvous.

Before they could meet, Muwawu reportedly called to inform them his flight had been diverted to London. He also reportedly asked for more money to pay taxes to clear the consignment, upon which the equivalent of Shs 32m was dispatched through Western Union. But there was more trouble on the way, when Muwawu allegedly called Jespersten again, to say he was now in Amsterdam, where he requested for 5,000 Euros (about Shs 20m) to clear his consignment.

Muwawu and Jespersten met in Amsterdam at a date the latter doesn't recall and they headed to Brussels to meet the final 'buyer' of the gold. While in Brussels, Jespersten was allegedly introduced to another man by Muwawu, who asked for another 58,000 Euros (about Shs 232m) for courier services.

This man also allegedly defrauded the complainants of an additional 40,000 Euros (about Shs 160m) for opening up a bank account, hiring a lawyer and air ticket. After this, Muwawu allegedly disappeared after getting his cut of the money and switched off his phones. He was later arrested in Kampala.
slubwama@observer.ug

The Observer - Danish national, wife conned out of Shs 2bn