By Spy Uganda
Kampala:The Court of Appeal of Uganda has released South Sudanese national Lawrence Lual Malong Yor commonly known to his close buddies as ‘Young Tycoon’ who was in 2021 sentenced for six years in jail over $1 million gold scam.
Lawrence Malong is alleged by some unconfirmed sources to be son to South Sudanese powerful politician and military figure, General Paul Malong Awan, also known as Paul Malong Awan Anei, King Paul, or General Paul. The now Kenya exiled Sudanese politician and powerful power broker was until May, 16, 2017, the Chief of General Staffs (COGS) of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). The Chief of General Staffs was the highest-ranking military officer in the SPLA (now South Sudan People’s Defence Forces), and also the principal military adviser to the President of the Republic of South Sudan and the National Security Council.
General Malong, in 2017, was sacked by South Sudan President Salva Kiir and has since denied being behind the atrocities in the country which displaced over two million people within two years from 2013. Meanwhile, you have to remember that recently, while on a Kenya TV Gen.Malong Awan denied ever producing a son called Lawrence Malong. in a twist of events, Lawrence was also quoted in the Kenyan media as having confirmed that Gen.Malong was NOT his father.
Back to Lawrence Malong; In a release order exclusively seen by mighty, TheSpy Uganda, Malong with others who were convicted by High Court Anti-Corruptio Division successfully appealed against both the conviction and the ruling.
Issuing a release order on January, 13, 2023, the Court of Appeal Registrar, Henry Twinomuhwezi stated thus; ”The Appeal succeeds; The appellant’s conviction is hereby quashed and sentence set a side and order that appellant be set free unless held on other lawful charges.”
Malong was charged by court in Uganda alongside two accomplices, Mike Lota and Gavana Zhikusoka after investigations by the High Court Anti-Corruption Division found them guilty of the heist. The trio was also found guilty of a conspiracy to defraud two Ethiopian nationals and five counts of using false documents.
Court then handed Malong three years behind bars for obtaining money by false pretense, two years for conspiracy to commit a felony, and one year for using false documents.
Victims Narrate How They Were Allegedly Conned
The complainants in the case are Ethiopians Wagnew Dessie and Abebe who work in South Africa. They told the court that they entered a working relationship with Malong, who convinced them to invest in the lucrative business of gold in Uganda.
After a series of meetings, the 33-year-old introduced them to the supposed Gold dealers of Congolese nationality and other accomplices in Uganda. This set in motion a series of high-level cash transactions moving between Dubai, Brussels, Nairobi, Hong Kong, and Zambia.
It however, dawned on the investors that they had been conned, which forced them to report the case in Nairobi and Uganda.
while speaking to our reporter last week after his release, Malong maintained that all the charges levied against him were false, the reason court of Appeal has finally disproved all the earlier allegations against him. “This was sheer malice aimed at tarnishing my name and businesses. My brother there is business rivalry in the world of today. Your enemies will always feel bad when they see you prosper,” Malong added. Â
