By Michael Odeng

A Highland Secondary School student who had no previous criminal record was ordered to pay sh2m or serve a jail sentence of six months for his involvement in a sh9m fraud.

Court presided over by main judge, Juliet Hatanga heard that 18-year-old Mark Ssemakula obtained sh9m from Susan Lukadde by deceptive means.

According to prosecution, Ssemakula lied to Lukadde that his father was in the United States, with intent to defraud her of the said sh9m.

The argument was that Ssemakula obtained money so he could allegedly pay his school fees and had promised Lukadde that he would to pay it back.

“He asked money from me and said that when his father comes back from abroad, he will pay me back,” Lukadde said.

The Prosecutor explained that this happened in October last year and later in January this year.

Relatives of Ssemakula looked on in disbelief as the judge read out the sentence, assuring Ssemakula that he would be going to prison if he does not pay the shs2m.

 “The deal here is that you either pay the amount or serve the sentence while eating prison posho,” she stated.

The City Hall judge passed the judgment after the teenager was found guilty of obtaining sh9m and a laptop priced at sh650, 000.

The Senior Five student is a resident of Kawempe division, Kampala district.