There’s a saying that a thief has 40 days. This could soon apply to a one Arthur Byabashaija, a Kampala city constar who has defrauded various unsuspecting individuals and companies billions of shillings, claiming that he’s closely associated to some of the country’s most powerful people including the president Yoweri Museveni.
For quite sometime, the con artist Arthur Byabashaija- who has even gone as far as claiming to be the son of Uganda Prisons boss Johnson Byabashaija to gain credibility- has gone about fleecing various companies and individuals of billions.
However it’s reassuring to know that the “thief has 40 days” saying suggests that his time is limited.
A host of people, companies have come out to petition authorities like Col Edith Nakalema’s State House Anti Corruption Unit, the state minister of Internal Affairs to complain about Byabashaija.
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And as a result, Steam Investments Limited a Ugandan local company that has existed for over 15 years which he joined in March last year (2023) and has been claiming to represent in his con jobs has distanced itself from him and his dubious actions.
In a letter addressed to David Muhoozi (Internal Affairs) and State House Anti Corruption Unit, Steam Investments Limited- through its lawyers Alma Associates- writes;
“Our client has learnt with utter consternation of a letter dated 16th of May 2024- which was never served to them (Steam Investments Limited) but has come to their knowledge from good intentioned people and we wish to clarify that Steam Investments Limited distances itself from deeds and actions of a one Arthur Byabashaija.”
It adds: “Our client informs us that it has never at any one time by itself or through its agents dealt with a one Charbel Ibrahim, a citizen of Lebanon. Secondly our client does not deal in the business of buying and selling of iron ore.”
This website can reveal that Byabashaija, claiming to be working on behalf of Steam Investments Limited duped Lebanese Charbel Ibrahim of $40,000 with a promise of selling him iron ore.
How Byabashaija conned Lebanese
In a petition to the State House Anti Corruption Unit, Mr. Ibrahim says Byabashaija introduced him to the business of buying and selling iron ore.
According to Ibrahim, Byabashaija had all the necessary documents of running the business including a letter from the President’s office.
“We agreed to proceed with the business with an initial deposit of $100,000 but in two equal instalments,” the Lebanese Ibrahim writes.
However, he (Ibrahim) deposited $40,000. And that’s when Byabashaija’s dubious games started.
He failed to honor the terms of the contract forcing Ibrahim to terminate it on the 7th of March this year (2024).
Byabashaija agreed to refund Ibrahim’s $40,000 within ten working days.
“Since the agreed date, I have tried to contact Mr. Arthur (Byabashaija) and Steam Investments Limited for help in vain.
I’m therefore seeking any help that can be given from the State House Anti Corruption Unit as it will be highly appreciated,” Ibrahim further writes
We have learnt that Byabashaija, once a minority director in Steam Investments Limited before his expulsion forged or accessed Steam Investments Limited documents including a letter from president Museveni to convince various people into entering business dealings with him.
All the time, he would wrongly claim to be working on behalf of Steam Investments and con unsuspecting potential partners.
These included Ibrahim, the Lebanese businessman.
However, in the letter to the State House Anti Corruption Unit, Steam Investments Limited clearly stated it’s mandate regarding the iron ore business.
“The mandate that was given by the president to our client (Steam Investments Limited) was to establish an iron ore production plant and our client informs us that they are still at the stages of obtaining licenses as they have not started mining.
That Arthur Byabashaija acted in his personal capacity and our client is not in any way liable. We bring to your attention that Steam Investments Limited is a reputable local company and it cannot act beyond the mandate entrusted in them by the president.Our client informs us that it has initiated investigations into the matter and further commits itself to cooperate with any organ of state to ensure that Charbel Ibrahim gets justice,” Steam Investments Limited lawyers write.
A notice was also published in the newspapers to distance itself from Byabashaija.
Byabashaija defrauds Forester Group
Last year on 14th September 2023, Steam Investments Limited entered into an agreement with a company named Forester Group of Companies Limited to supply goods and services.
An agreement was reached and Forester Group of Companies agreed to supply goods to Steam Investments.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) titled “THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA, IN THE MATTER OF THE CONTRACT ACT 7 OF 2010 AND IN THE MATTER OF SALE OF GOODS AND SUPPLY OF SERVICES ACT, 2018.
AGREEMENT FOR THE SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF GOODS 14TH SEPTEMBER 2023
BY AND BETWEEN FORESTER GROUP OF COMPANIES LIMITED (“the seller”) a limited liability company duly incorporated under laws of Uganda having its registered address ta Plot 56/60 Ambassador House (where the context so admits include its assignees and successors ni title, beneficiaries) of the one part AND STEAM INVESTMENTS LIMITED (“the buyer”) is a limited liability company duly incorporated under laws of Uganda of Plot 73 Nakasero Road P.O Box 7845 Kampala (where the context so admits include its assignees, Beneficiaries and successors ni title) of the other part.”
Following the agreement, Forester Group issued a Pro-forma invoice to Steam Investments Limited for supply of 12,000 units of 3 meters Iron sheets Super Eco, Brick Red, Gauge 30 hereinafter referred to as (‘the goods”) and Steam Investments Limited accepted the invoice by issuing a Local Purchase Order (LPO) to the seller.
All these were witnessed by Arthur Byabashaija who then forged or accessed Steam Investments Limited documentation and instead channeled the supplies from Forester Investments Limited for his own use.
Working with his nephew James Tebareka, Byabashaija diverted goods from Forester Group worth Shs300 million.
We can reveal that he went about all these dubious dealings by issuing false cheques to Forester Group’s creditor, Stewards Credit Services.
As seen in photos, Byabashaija issued postdated cheques of one of his foster companies named Steam Investments Limited Trade, and not Steam Investments Limited, the company that signed the contract with Forester Group.
This website understands he (Byabashaija) in a bid to continue his fraud work undetected, he over time opened various companies with the word Steam to con companies disguising as Steam Investments Limited.
For example on 17th May 2024, he incorporated a company named Steam Concepts Limited.
An MoU of Steam Concepts Limited shows Arthur Byabashaija as the majority shareholder with an 80% stake.
Other shareholders are;
Rumanyika Elizabeth Kasenene (his funding partner) with 2%, his sister Betty Byabashaija who operates at Nasser Road in the city centre (2%), Nampima Rachael Kakooza (2%), and James Tabareka with 4%.
Tabareka is Arthur Byabashaija’s sister Betty Byabashaija’s son.
More of Byabashaija’s fraud
Clearly, fraud has been Byabashaija’s game for years.
In 2007 during CHOGM, he was arrested for conning bosses of a hotel in Entebbe by claiming to be then powerful Gen Kale Kayihura’s aide.
He has also occasionally claimed to be the General’s son.
Following his release, he left for the UK (United Kingdom) where he continued his crimes by dealing in fake money (bichupuli) for almost 10 years.
One of his victims was Gen. James Mugira’s wife.
However his lack ran out and after a brief arrest in the UK, he was deported back to Uganda.
He has also been on the wrong side of the law by conning ambassador Fred Mwesigye in Tanzania in disguise of selling to him iron ore and iron ore licences.
In Kabale, the name Byabashaija is a curse.
He has terrorized all the youths dealing in iron ore in Kabale, arresting them and even causing transfers to whoever crosses he’s path in that trade.
He has also had a standoff with a Kabale MP Hon. Kamuntu.
He is said to own illegal guns; an AK-47 and
pistol which he moves around brandishing to whoever cares to look his side.
It must be noted that he was behind the move to shoot Energy State Minister for Minerals Hon. Phiona Nyamutooro while she toured Steam Investments Limited license in Kabale sometime back.
This was after Steam Investments complained to the ministry of energy earlier this year against National Cement encroaching on its (Steam Investments) licence and carrying out illegal mining and export.
The private security guards confessed they were working under Byabashaija’s orders who works with National Cement Group.
Steam Investments Limited has as well written to the president requesting for his intervention.
Byabashaija also conned Kyamuhunga Tea Growers Association shs100 million claiming he would take them to the president. He conned Uganda Muslim Supreme Council 50,000USD claiming he would to develop for them a software for their savings SACCO.
He has also conned a cousin of Gen. David Muhoozi 50,000USD by introducing him into fake deals of iron ore. He has done the same to tycoon Charles Mbiire’s sister.
Often, he masquerades as a ‘financial arranger’ together with Elizabeth Kasenene his partner in Steam Concepts, fleecing a lot of money from companies and individuals who yearn for external funding. In so doing, he collects advance fees that he terms as arranging fees which is always in tens of thousands of dollars.
He often offers them term sheets and then disappears.
Some of his victims in this include; Abby Hospital in Wandegeya, David Onapa, cousins to Rebecca Kadaga who were to deal in tea growing and wanted funding and many others.
Despite all these litany of crimes he has masterminded, Byabashaija- who hails from Rubaya in Nyabushozi- continues to move around the city with impunity and illegal guns.
