Court orders on Meddie Ssentogo's bank accounts

By Betty Amamukirori and Michael Odeng

The Commercial Court has issued an order directing three foreign banks to release certified copies of bank account statements of city businessman; Meddie Ssentongo, the former lover of Shanita Namuyimbwa popularly known as Bad-Black.

Justice Peter Adonyo requested the managers of Iranian bank in Dubai, Stanbic Bank in South Africa and Barclays in Kenya to release the statements to enable court verify whether Ssentongo received $3m (about sh7b) from Bad Black.

Adonyo made the ruling following an application by David Greenhalgh’s lawyer Okello Oryem who requested Ssentogo’s bank account statement be produced in court for verification purpose after he (Ssentongo) denied knowing uncertified bank statement that was presented to him during cross examination.

“I request the banks to release the bank statements of Ssentongo in court and then I will determine whether it is necessary for cross-examination purposes,” Adonyo said.  

Ssentongo was being cross examined in a suit in which David Greenhalgh, the lover of Shanita  sued him seeking to pay $3m, an equivalent of UGX 7b claiming that he (Ssentongo) and Bad Black received from Daveshan Development (U) Ltd.

Meanwhile, Ssentogo’s lawyer Isaac Walukagga said releasing bank documents is prejudicial at the trial stage. “This purports that the defendant will appear in court again for cross-examination on documents that have been availed to court by the bank and yet I had closed my case”.

Walukagga said re-calling Ssentongo for cross-examination infringes on his (Ssentongo) rights and contravenes Article 28 of the Constitution.

Ssentongo also denied ever dealing with Daveshan Development in carrying out any business transactions.  
“I have never received $ 3m from Greenhalgh and I got to know about the company when I was produced in the courts of law,” Ssentongo said.

Ssentongo told court that the only transaction he made with Shanita was selling off his Spots Land rover car to her (Shanita) at sh140m in 2010. He added that Bad Black also bought Moreno Nisan at sh60m and BMWX6 at sh250m from other car dealers.

In July 11, 2013, Ssentongo was sentenced to 18-month in jail for conspiracy to commit a felony while Bad Black was sentenced to 4-years-imprisonment for embezzling sh11b from Daveshan Development Limited.

Prior to the sentence, Ssentongo told court that he has filed a memorandum of appeal at the Court of Appeal to challenge his conviction.

He also confirmed to court that he has many plots of land at Munyonyo, Wakiso and Mubende district which he buys and sells to his customers   .