The rise and fall of Bad Black

Nobody knew from where she burst onto the social scene. Few knew her real name, but for about two years, she threw money around. Sometimes she misbehaved and paid off her victims to silence them. Anne Mugisa and Edward Anyoli bring you her story

The local tabloids lapped her up and created a larger than life picture of her. People started guessing her source of money until information started seeping out slowly that a white man was her benefactor.

Then suddenly last year, the phenomenon that had become Bad Black started crumbling. David Greenhalgh, the British engineer, whose money she was throwing around, surfaced and demanded proof of the investments he had been sending the money for. 

There was nothing to show for the sh11b. Greenhalgh had opened a company giving Black 25% shares though she had paid nothing. He remained with 75% shares. The company was a real estate business,which would eventually engage in other businesses.

Soon, the case was in court with Bad Black brazenly unrepentant. Her Ugandan boyfriend, Meddie Ssentongo, indicted along with her, was arrogant. They thought the case would just die. Black knew that she would buy her way out of trouble, as she later unintentionally confessed in Court that she bribed the Police investigators with sh50m so that she would not be arrested and prosecuted.

But the case went on any way and rather interesting revelations were made including gory details of their sex encounters, which she volunteered to the Court. Some of her revelations cannot be repeated in this family paper.

Bad Black, whose real name is Shanita Namuyimbwa, is now in prison serving a four-year-jail term for stealing Greenhalgh’s money. Meddie is also in prison serving 18 months imprisonment for conniving with her to steal the money.

During the Court hearing nine witnesses testified including Meddie’s friend, bankers, auditors and the registrar of companies. Below are excerpts from a few of the witnesses.

Tomasi Kabogoza Mukomazi
The most interesting testimony came from Meddie’s friend, Mukomazi who knew him since 2000. Meddie confided in him about his new girlfriend called Shanita Namuyimbwa. Meddie said Namuyimbwa was also dating a white man who intended to make investments in Uganda. He advised them to invest in hotels and apartments. They did some paperwork that Shanita forwarded to Greenhalgh. Later, Meddie told him that Greenhalgh had started remitting funds to Shanita.

Kabogoza told the court that he noticed a significant change in Meddies lifestyle. He purchased a new range rover and a C-class Mercedes Benz. He also said since Black and Meddie were in a relationship, they normally went travelling and clubbing with him on many occasions.

Henry Joe Kibuuka, the Banker
He first met Namuyimbwa and Meddie at the Barclays Bank Kansanga Branch. Later, they found him at the Garden City Branch and inquired about opening a business account. He asked them for documents and Namuyimbwa said she needed a dollar and shilling account. The documents she produced showed she and Greenhalgh were the directors.

Grace Kigozi Kyomuhendo

This witness gave tables on how money would be wired by Greenhalgh to Daveshan account then Black would remove it almost immediately and deposit equivalent amount in shillings on Meddie’s account. From September 15, 2010 to May 27, 2011 large sums were wired to Daveshan and large sums in dollars were withdrawn in 50 installments.

Namuyimbwa’s defence
Namuyimbwa confessed that she was a sex worker and that is how she met Greenhalgh and the company was formed. She said he showered her with so much money that she grew to love money very much and spend a lot of it. She added that the funds sent by Greenhalgh were meant for her to spend at will. She also said she refused to accept money in exchange for incriminating Meddie.

Meddie Ssentongo
He said he was a businessman dealing in property development and car sales. He said his relationship with Namuyimbwa was purely business and not romantic. Meddie’s defence could not be challenged because he did not give sworn testimony.

Black’s Lawyers
In their submissions, Black’s lawyers said as far as Namuyimbwa was concerned, she was entitled to her partner’s money. Later the lawyers changed and said the money did not belong to Green in the first place because he was not a shareholder since he never signed the company’s Memorandum of Association as a director.

Judgement
The judge ruled that Daveshan exists as a company and that it was alright for Daveshan’s Lawyer to sign on his behalf. The Judge also said Namuyimbwa and Greenhalgh were not married and, therefore, she could not say she was entitled to his money. Besides, she noted, this money belonged to the company, Daveshan, which was a separate entity from Greenhalgh and Namuyimbwa. So Namuyimbwa stole the money.

The judge also discarded the defence lawyers’ arguments that Black and Meddie were never lovers. She said that several prosecution witnesses proved that they were. She also noted that it could not have been a coincidence that when Black withdrew large sums of dollars, Meddie’s account became credited with the equivalent.