Kampala, Uganda: A Dubai-based Ugandan car dealer is under investigation for alleged fraud and could face extradition proceedings after a failed vehicle import transaction involving approximately $50,000 (about Shs185 million).
Mohamed Abanoor (Abnoor), a businessman operating between Sharjah and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, is accused of obtaining money by false pretence after allegedly failing to deliver a Toyota Land Cruiser ZX that had been purchased by a prominent Ugandan businessman (whose name we have withheld for this edition of the story).
According to documents and correspondence reviewed by the DailyExpress Investigative Desk, the transaction dates back to May 2025 when Abnoor allegedly approached the businessman with an offer to purchase a white Toyota Land Cruiser ZX reportedly available at a favourable auction price in Dubai.
The two had reportedly conducted business transactions before, prompting the buyer to trust the proposal and transfer the full purchase amount.
Sources familiar with the matter say Abnoor subsequently shared photographs of the vehicle and later sent images purportedly showing the Land Cruiser being loaded into a shipping container destined for East Africa.
The buyer believed the transaction was progressing normally.
Several weeks later, Abnoor reportedly informed the client that the vehicle had arrived at the Port of Mombasa and requested the buyer’s Tax Identification Number (TIN), allegedly to facilitate customs clearance with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
The requested information was provided.
However, according to the complainants, the vehicle never arrived in Uganda.
As concerns grew, Abnoor allegedly attributed the delay to customs clearance challenges in Kenya before later assuring the buyer that delivery would be completed within a week.
Months reportedly passed without delivery.
Investigators say communication between the parties subsequently became irregular, with the dealer allegedly becoming increasingly difficult to reach.
The matter was eventually reported to authorities, triggering investigations involving URA and international law enforcement channels.
According to sources close to the investigation, preliminary findings reportedly established that no vehicle matching the description had been shipped from Dubai as earlier claimed.
During subsequent engagements with investigators, Abnoor is alleged to have admitted that the vehicle had never been shipped and claimed that the funds were lost after being stolen by an associate shortly after receipt.
He reportedly promised to refund the money within a specified period.
Sources further indicate that Abnoor later travelled to Uganda, where he allegedly signed a written acknowledgement confirming receipt of the funds and committing himself to repayment.
However, more than a year later, complainants claim that no substantial refund has been made despite repeated promises.
The aggrieved businessman and his company have since initiated legal action, seeking recovery of the original funds alongside compensation, damages, and legal costs.
The claim is understood to exceed $88,000 when damages and associated losses are included.
Lawyers representing the complainants have also reportedly petitioned authorities in the United Arab Emirates, including immigration officials, seeking administrative action against Abnoor as investigations continue.
Audio recordings reviewed by DailyExpress allegedly capture conversations in which the businessman repeatedly seeks reimbursement while Abnoor requests additional time to settle the debt.
By press time, the complainant was reportedly out of the country. However, a representative familiar with the matter confirmed that legal and criminal proceedings remain active.
Investigators are also examining claims that the disputed Land Cruiser transaction may not have been an isolated incident.
Sources allege that several other Ugandan businesspeople, including politically exposed individuals, may have lodged complaints relating to similar vehicle import arrangements involving the suspect.
Authorities have not yet formally charged Abnoor, and investigations remain ongoing.
Under Ugandan law, every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.
DailyExpress understands that additional details regarding other alleged transactions are expected to emerge as investigations progress.
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