City lawyer returns to dock over sh200m theft linked to deceased justice Kanyeihamba

KAMPALA - A city lawyer accused of laundering $56,500 (about shillings 208 million) stolen from the late justice George Kanyeihamba’s account is scheduled to appear in court today.

Andrew Obam, 38, an advocate of the High Court practicing with Loi Advocates and a resident of Ntinda Kigowa in Kampala's Nakawa division, is expected to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court in Nakasero for the mention of his case, presided over by principal grade one magistrate Paul Mujuni.

Justice Kanyeihamba passed on last week.

Obam is facing a charge of money laundering contrary to Sections 3(c), 119, and 139(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Cap 118, Laws of Uganda, 2023. He was remanded last week to Luzira Prison.

Magistrate Mujuni advised Obam to apply for bail at the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, noting that he lacks the jurisdiction to handle money laundering charges.

He explained that only the High Court is mandated to try such offences and grant bail.
Prosecution alleges that between October 2022 and September 2024, at Bank of Africa, Kololo Branch in Kampala, Obam intentionally received a total of $56,800(about sh208 million) through account number 0393200206 in the name of Loi Advocates, where he is a partner.

It is further alleged that the funds were fraudulently credited to the law firm’s account from the bank account of the late Justice Kanyeihamba, using cheques that had been stolen from him.

At the time of receiving the funds, Obam is said to have known that the money was proceeds of crime.

The prosecution is expected to update the court on the status of investigations into the matter.

The law  

Under section 3 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, any person convicted or found guilty of the offence of money laundering is liable to 15 years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding sh2b.

Police report

According to the 2024 Annual Crime Report by the Police, 110 cases of bank and other corporate fraud crimes were reported to the Police in 2024, constituting 0.8% of the economic crimes registered in the country.

These frauds manifest themselves in various forms, which range from money laundering, other corporate frauds, and terrorism financing, some of which are as broken down in the table below.

Out of these, money laundering cases reported to the Police were 19, six of which were forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions, while 13 were still being investigated by the Police.