Dar es Salaam. A man accused of defrauding Chinese investors of Sh1.6 billion has been arrested in Uganda and repatriated to Tanzania after nearly three years on the run, the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) has said.
Speaking on Friday, May 22, 2026 at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), Kinondoni PCCB Director, Mr Christian Nyakizee, confirmed arrest of Stephane Ngoie, who had been wanted since 2023.
Mr Nyakizee said the suspect, who is also alleged to have used the alias Thomas Maweja, was arrested in Entebbe in April 2026, following coordinated intelligence efforts between Tanzanian authorities and the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).
He said the suspect is among seven accused persons in Criminal Case No. 12/2023, currently before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, where they face charges of forgery, obtaining money by false pretence and money laundering.
According to PCCB, the accused persons allegedly defrauded a Chinese company based in Shanghai of $678,810 (Sh1.6 billion) through Steca Export Company Limited.
The group is said to have claimed they were selling 110 tonnes of copper to the Chinese firm.
However, instead of delivering copper as agreed, they allegedly shipped five containers filled with empty used beverage bottles.
Furthermore, Mr Nyakizee said investigations showed that the offence was committed in 2022, after which the suspects were charged in court, but Mr Ngoie fled Tanzania in May 2023 to evade arrest and prosecution.
He said a coordinated international search was launched, with investigators tracking the suspect across several countries including Uganda, Kenya, Türkiye and China, before he was finally located and arrested in Entebbe.
According to Mr Nyakizee, Mr Ngoie is a Congolese national and will be taken before court to be joined with his co-accused once all legal procedures are completed.
He stressed that no suspect would be safe anywhere in the world, adding that Tanzanian authorities will continue to pursue fugitives both within and outside the country.
