‘Tycoon’ Malong sent to Luzira over Shs7.3b gold scam

By Our Reporter

A Ugandan is among three people who were on Thursday sent on remand at Luzira Prison for defrauding an Ethiopian businessman of US$1.9 million (about Shs7.3 billion), through a bogus gold deal.

Key among the suspects is the flamboyant South Sudanese ‘tycoon’, Lawrence Malong, who was sent to jail alongside Mike Lota Okitalunyi, a Congolese national and a Ugandan businessman Gavana Thaddeus Zikusoka. They are accused of obtaining the said money from Dessie Wagnew, an Ethiopian by false pretence after they failed to deliver 150kg of gold to their client.

The three suspected conmen were arrested from a hotel they had rented in Kabalagala, Kampala.

While appearing before Buganda Road court Grade One Magistrate Ketty Acaya, the suspects denied the charges. They were remanded till April 4, 2019, as investigations into their case continue.

Wagnew who lives in South Africa is said to have met Malong through a friend who told him that the latter had a gold trading licence and that he could help him export the precious mineral to Dubai and Hong-Kong markets in China. He then flew into the country to purchase the prized metal.

Excited by the prospects and convenience of the middleman, Wagnew then flew all the way to Hong-Kong to wait for the delivery to be made. However, the gold was never sent nor existed.

Wagnew stated that he risks losing his house in South Africa after failing to pay a loan worth US$1.9million which he used to finance the ‘quick-money’ deal.

Malong first came into the public eye in 2017 when he posted a video of himself lying on a bed splashed with US$1 million which he claimed was a donation to charity but the charity organization denied the allegations.

When asked of his source of wealth in an interview with a Kenyan TV station last year, he replied he had been blessed by Jesus Christ.

Malong bragged about living a very expensive lifestyle, including flying in a presidential jet and wearing a 10,000-dollar pair of shoes.

“My Lord Jesus Christ blessed me; I fly on private jets… I live in Presidential suites… I am blessed,” he said.