Chinese national Chen Guang, alias Alex, accused of being involved in a multimillion-shilling fraud at Diamond Steel Uganda Limited, will remain in Kenyan custody pending a ruling on whether he should be released on bond as he fights extradition to Uganda.
Chen was arrested on August 11, 2026, at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon arrival from Harare, Zimbabwe, following a request by Ugandan authorities for his arrest and extradition.
Uganda is seeking to have Chen surrendered to the Republic of Uganda to face 30 counts of forgery contrary to Sections 319 and 324 of the Penal Code, Cap 128, Laws of Uganda.
The extradition request stems from proceedings before Chief Magistrate Aciro Joan at the Mukono Chief Magistrate’s Court in Uganda, where Chen is wanted to answer to the economic crime allegations.
According to the information presented in the extradition proceedings, Chen was employed by Diamond Steel Uganda Limited as a cashier before being appointed the company’s authorised agent in respect of its Uganda shilling and United States dollar accounts held at Opportunity Bank.
His responsibilities included handling cash withdrawals, obtaining bank statements, processing payments to suppliers and purchasing raw materials on behalf of the company.
Ugandan authorities allege that Chen was involved in activities that resulted in a financial loss of approximately SH156.9 million. The allegations reportedly centre on the manipulation of weighbridge bills, which authorities say contributed to the loss suffered by the company.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Kenya received a formal extradition request from the Director of Public Prosecutions of Uganda on June 10, 2026. The request was transmitted through Uganda’s Attorney General and Department of Justice.
Following his arrest at JKIA, Kenyan authorities commenced extradition proceedings to determine whether Chen should be surrendered to Uganda to face the charges pending against him.
Chen is currently challenging his continued detention as the court considers the extradition proceedings. He is expected to remain in custody until September 3, 2026, when the court is scheduled to issue a ruling on whether he should be released on bond pending the hearing and determination of the extradition application.
The prosecution is seeking to have Chen extradited to Uganda, where he is expected to face trial over the alleged forgery offences.
The case highlights the increasing cooperation between Kenya and Uganda in pursuing suspects accused of financial and economic crimes across the two countries.
