The Chairperson of the Kampala District Land Board, David Balondemu, has been remanded to Luzira Prison by the Kampala City Hall Court over charges of defrauding a Korean investor, Hyun Uk Kim, in a fake gold deal.
Balondemu, a lawyer by profession, is jointly charged with three other individuals for allegedly obtaining $600,000 (about Shs2.2 billion) from Hyun UK Kim in a fake gold sale amounting to 53 kilograms.
He was arrested on Thursday by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit following a complaint by Hyun Kim to the President that he had lost a significant amount of money to dishonest dealers in Kampala.
The lawyer is said to have utilized his legal experience to create an elaborate scheme that convinced the Korean investor to release the money.
Balondemu appeared before Grade One Magistrate Edgar Karakire and denied charges of obtaining money by false pretence.
However, the attempt by his three lawyers, including Evans Ochieng, Denis Mukasa Mbidde, and Robert Bahut, to secure his release on bail due to ill health failed, and he was sent on remand until November 6th when he will reappear for the magistrate to determine his bail application.
Balondemu joins his co-suspects, James Mugisha and Godfrey Maviri, who are already on remand until October 25.
State Prosecutor, led by Mercy Yamangusho, states that investigations into the case, which occurred between August and November 2021, are still ongoing.