The Police Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) is investigating Quillino Bamwine, who previously served as the Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Eswatini to Uganda, for allegedly obtaining UGX 372 million (about $100,000) by false pretences.
The case, registered under reference KMP GEF 285/2025, stems from a complaint by Joel Kakira, who claims he lost money in two aborted land-sale transactions in Kololo and Naguru, Kampala.
In a letter dated October 21, 2025, police directed Bamwine to appear before the Deputy CID Commander, Kampala Metropolitan Police, on October 30, 2025, to respond to the allegations.
Recurring theme
Although it is not yet clear whether the ongoing police probe is directly linked to the commercial dispute filed by Trident Impex, the pattern of allegations points to a recurring theme: contested land deals and unfulfilled promises.
In an earlier case before the High Court Commercial Division, Bamwine was accused by Trident Impex of breaching a 2019 contract in which he was to facilitate the acquisition of 20 acres of land in the Naguru–Nakawa estate
Documents before court indicate that Bamwine claimed that he had secured allocation letters from the Minister of State for Urban Development, but the project collapsed after government halted land allocations and titling in the area following a Cabinet directive.
He claimed the contract had been frustrated by government policy, not by his actions
However, Trident Impex countered that the ministerial letters were false documents intended to hoodwink court, arguing that no land had ever been allocated and accused Bamwine of misrepresentation
While court did not rule on the merits, Justice Susan Abinyo granted Bamwine leave to defend, observing that the documents raised “triable issues of fact and law,” particularly regarding the authenticity of the purported land allocations and the defence of frustration.
The case remains a telling example of how Bamwine’s land brokerage activities placed him at the centre of multiple disputes.
Last month Bamwine’s name once again made rounds in police circles, this time over fresh allegations of obtaining money under false pretences from Kakira.
Police have started investigating the case, and it could have been the spark that forced eSwatini to remove Bamwine as the country’s honorary consul.
There have been additional complaints against him dating back to 2021, many revolving around land acquisition schemes that never materialized.
Letters to My Younger Self: Robinah Siima — “Success Is Quieter, But Richer”Bamwine’s diplomatic journey began in late 2020, when King Mswati III appointed him as Eswatini’s first Honorary Consul in Uganda, a position created to promote trade and cultural ties.
The appointment carried prestige but not full diplomatic immunity.
Following mounting allegations, his consular status was quietly revoked, with the Eswatini government refraining from public comment.
Diplomatic insiders indicate that the decision was motivated by the seriousness of the criminal accusations and the need to protect Eswatini’s diplomatic image.
Ambassador Mahlaba Almon Mamba, Eswatini’s envoy to the African Union, was quoted as saying that repeated complaints from private individuals and government officials had preceded Bamwine’s removal.
He said Bamwine had ignored earlier warnings and that the Eswatini Embassy had “no choice but to report to the Ugandan authorities” once the allegations escalated.
Broader implications
The Bamwine case underscores the fragile intersection between diplomacy, business, and personal accountability.
Honorary consuls, though not career diplomats, act as crucial conduits for economic and cultural cooperation.
Allegations of fraud or misrepresentation involving such figures can easily cast shadows over bilateral relations if not addressed swiftly and transparently.
For both Uganda and Eswatini, this episode is a test of diplomatic integrity — and an opportunity to tighten oversight on honorary appointments and transnational business dealings.
As the police investigation continues, Bamwine’s future remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that Eswatini, through Ambassador Mamba, seeks to maintain cooperation with Uganda while upholding the ethical standards expected of those representing the Kingdom abroad.
