The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has remanded three people — a 24-year-old man and two minors — accused of posing as prominent businessman and philanthropist Dr. Hamis Kiggundu to defraud the public through social media platforms.
The suspects, identified as Master Don Sharif (24) and two juveniles aged 16 and 17, appeared before Magistrate Ronald Kayizi and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Kayizi ordered that Sharif be detained at Luzira Prison, while the two minors were sent to Naguru Juvenile Remand Home until October 20, 2025.
According to the prosecution, the trio allegedly ran a network of fake TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp accounts, posing as Dr. Kiggundu and officials from the Ham Group of Companies. They reportedly tricked victims with false promises of jobs, youth loans, education sponsorships, and other financial opportunities — conning them out of millions of shillings.
Investigations revealed that all three suspects hail from Iganga District in the Busoga sub-region, which has recently been identified by authorities as a hotspot for cyber-related crimes. Officials noted that several other individuals previously arrested and convicted for similar impersonation scams also originated from the same area.
This incident marks the sixth case this year involving suspects accused of impersonating Dr. Kiggundu.
Speaking on behalf of the Ham Group, Public Relations Officer Karim Sserugo urged the public to be cautious and avoid falling for online scams.
> “We want to make it clear that Dr. Hamis Kiggundu and the Ham Group of Companies do not operate any loan, school fees, or youth financial support programs. Anyone making such claims is a fraudster. We encourage the public to verify all information through our official platforms,” Sserugo stated.
Authorities have warned Ugandans to exercise vigilance when engaging with online offers and to report any suspicious activities to the police. They emphasized that the rise in impersonation and cyber fraud not only threatens individuals’ finances but also damages trust in genuine charitable and business initiatives.
As the suspects await trial, the case sheds light on Uganda’s growing challenge of cybercrime and social media impersonation, a trend that continues to exploit the identities of well-known figures for fraudulent gain.
