A Canadian pastor accused of obtaining $600,000 from an Egyptian businessman in a purported gold deal has made a U-turn, telling court he initially pleaded guilty to one of the charges because he was under pressure and did not understand the proceedings.
Didier Borromee Bitemo Kifoueti, 55, told Kampala City Hall Court that he had not conspired with his co-accused to steal money from the complainant, Ahamed Mossaad Mahmoud Hassan Abouzeid, insisting that the transaction involved a contract for the purchase of gold.
Kifoueti, who also describes himself as a businessman, made the remarks when Senior Magistrate Edgar Karakire asked him why he had earlier pleaded guilty to the first count of obtaining money by false pretence.
“The first day we were here, we did not know we were coming to court to appear. We were under pressure,” Kifoueti said.
He argued that the complainant had signed a contract to receive gold from Dubai and had been issued with a ticket by the seller, who was allegedly waiting to meet him there.
“On September 28, we were arrested here, and the seller was waiting for him in Dubai,” he told court, without clarifying the circumstances surrounding the alleged arrest.
Kifoueti further disputed the amount the complainant allegedly paid, saying Abouzeid claimed to have given them $600,000, while the contract showed a figure of $470,000. He said they had an email confirmation to support their position.
“So why arrest us here, saying that we took his money by force?” he asked.
The pastor also complained that he had been separated from his family and church in Canada and that his phones had been taken, making it difficult for him to communicate with his lawyer and prepare his defence.
“I left my church in Canada, family; they took my phones, I cannot communicate with my lawyer in Canada to defend us. I am sick; we do not understand anything,” he said.
He also claimed the complainant wanted his church members to speak about the matter, adding that the complainant had signed a contract.
The prosecution, led by State Attorney Miriam Akite, told the court that investigations into the case were complete and asked for an early hearing date.
“The matter is coming up for mention. Investigations are complete, and we pray for a near hearing date. The complainant wants to travel back to Egypt,” Ms Akite said.
Mr Karakire adjourned the matter to November 4, 2026, for hearing.
Kifoueti is jointly charged with Marcel Christian Nyamoutet, 48, a Cameroonian national and IT manager, and Hassan Katende, 37, a Ugandan.
According to the charge sheet, the three accused and others still at large allegedly obtained $600,000 from Abouzeid between January and February 2026 at Serena Hotel in Kampala by falsely pretending that they were selling him 50 kilograms of gold.
They also face a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, with the prosecution alleging that they agreed to obtain the money through the purported gold transaction.
The complainant’s statement says he was introduced to the deal by Nyamoutet, whom he described as a friend, and was later introduced to Kifoueti as a representative of the seller, allegedly a Congolese national identified as Rajabu Mwami.
The statement further says a company was to handle documentation, taxes, shipping and exportation of the gold. The complainant alleges he paid money towards the transaction after an agreement was drafted and signed.