Businessman seeks recovery of sh1.2b from father, son in fraud case

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A city businessman, who was allegedly defrauded of shillings 1.2 billion by a man and his son, has filed an application seeking to recover the money.

Dauda Katende Ssuna lodged a notice with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) asset recovery department, seeking a compensation order against Ibrahim Mukiibi Lubowa and his son, Ronald Kavuma Kato.

Justice Lawrence Gidudu, sitting at the Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court last year, convicted Lubowa and his co-accused after they were found guilty of defrauding Ssuuna of shillings 1.2 billion. The court ordered the convicts to compensate the complainant.

Following the court’s directive on February 17, 2026, Ssuna, through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), is currently pursuing recovery of the money. The ODPP has an asset recovery department mandated to recover proceeds of crime from convicted persons.

Prosecution’s case

The prosecution, led by Chief State Attorneys Nelly Asiku and Safina from ODPP, said Lubowa and Kato fraudulently obtained shillings 1.2 billion, claiming he would use the money to unfreeze funds in his dfcu Bank account and repay it after unfreezing the account.

Lubowa claimed that he had been compensated by the defunct roads authority (UNRA) for land affected by a road project and intended to use part of the money obtained from Ssuna to bribe top officials in government to help unfreeze the account and subsequently obtained shilings 1.2 billion.

Regarding the charge of obtaining money by false pretence, court established that between April and July 2018 in Kampala, Lubow and Kato, and obtained shillings 1.2 billion from Ssuna with the intent to defraud. 

The prosecution said that between the same period in Kampala, Lubowa and Kato conspired to defraud Ssuna of shillings 1.2 billion.

Lubowa allegedly used part of the money to construct a house in Mityana District and to purchase vehicles, including a Toyota Hiace and a Toyota Raum.

The prosecution said that Lubowa and Kato administered the shillings1.2 billion at various places within Kampala, fully aware that the money was the proceeds of crime.

Kato was convicted of administering shillings 173 million in his name at Diamond Trust Bank's Ndeeba branch and used shillings 90 million to purchase land in Mutundwe, in Kampala. Furthermore, Kato purportedly acquired a Toyota Alphad using part of the shillings 1.2billion allegedly obtained from Ssuna.