Congolese Gold Trader Abducted in Kampala, 100kg of Gold Stolen

Fear and uncertainty have spread across Kampala as security officers investigate the shocking disappearance of Congolese businessman Prince Tony Mola Bokanga and the theft of 100kg of gold worth Sh31.2 billion.

Bokanga went missing on Sunday evening in Busega after being followed by armed men. They stopped his car, pulled him out, and took him away without leaving any clues behind. The attackers, whose identities are still unknown, also took the large amount of gold he was transporting for his clients in Kampala.

Since then, there has been no sign of Bokanga—no calls, no ransom requests, just silence.

His worried family reported the case to Busega Police Station on Tuesday, under reference number GEF 12/2025. Reports indicate that Bokanga had traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Uganda through the Bwera border in Kasese district that same morning.

Driving a Toyota Alphard, he was transporting gold meant for Romanian and Dutch clients when his journey took a dangerous turn.

Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene: a white, tinted vehicle suddenly blocked his car, and masked men dragged him out along with a bag believed to contain the gold. The other passengers in the vehicle were left untouched, showing that the kidnappers only wanted Bokanga.

The crime is serious, considering the huge value of the stolen gold. With international prices at $85,309 per kilogram, the 100kg of gold is worth over $8.5 million (Sh31.2 billion).

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said:

“We will review our footage on the road to establish what happened, but I urge his relatives and friends to work with us in the search.”

At the same time, Julius Caesar Tusingwire, the head of the Mineral Protection Unit, said his team was not involved in any arrest. He encouraged the family to officially cooperate with the police in their search for Bokanga.

This is not the first time gold has been stolen violently while in transit.

Last July, an attack at Buddo Junction in Wakiso district resulted in the deaths of two people: Evelyne Nalumansi Katende, an employee of the Uganda Revenue Authority, and Pte Lawrence Ekirap, a soldier from the Uganda People’s Defence Force. That attack was linked to 4.5kg of gold worth Sh1.3 billion, revealing the dangerous nature of Uganda’s gold trade.

Gold smuggling has been a problem in Uganda for a long time. In 2017, the United Nations Security Council called for more transparency from gold exporters in Kampala after it was discovered that some traders were dealing in smuggled gold from DR Congo.

Gold plays a key role in Uganda’s economy, earning the country $317.76 million (Sh1.16 trillion) in October last year before dropping to $268 million (Sh984.9 billion) in November. However, the trade remains risky, filled with secrecy, and sometimes, violence.

As more time passes without any sign of Bokanga, his family holds onto hope despite the uncertainty. A man has vanished, a fortune has been stolen, and the truth remains hidden in the shadows.