Court fines lawyer for skipping client’s trial

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The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court of Uganda has ordered a city lawyer to pay costs to two witnesses after he failed to appear in court for the hearing of a land fraud case.

On March 9, 2026, David Makumbi directed lawyer Evans Ochieng to compensate the two witnesses in a case in which businesswoman Annah Asiimwe is accused of fraudulently obtaining sh1.5 billion by falsely claiming to be the daughter of the late Paul Bakyenga.

Asiimwe, 30, a resident of Kakoba in Mbarara city, is facing 39 charges, including obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, uttering false documents and money laundering.

The court’s order directing lawyer Ochieng to pay costs followed an objection by senior state attorneys Terpista Nam and Viola Tusingwire from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to a request for an adjournment. The prosecutors argued that the hearing date had been fixed with the consent of the defence counsel.

Nam told the court that Ochieng had informed them he had another matter to attend to and requested that the case be adjourned to another date.

“My Lord, when this matter was being fixed for hearing, the accused’s lawyer was present, and it was scheduled with his consent. We pray that the accused be allowed to get another lawyer on state brief. Secondly, we have two witnesses who travelled all the way from Mbarara City and have been in Kampala since then. These witnesses are businesspeople, and for the last five days, they have not attended to their businesses. We therefore pray for costs to compensate them,” Nam said.

Justice Makumbi said he was mindful of the accused person’s right to legal representation but noted that lawyer Ochieng had not treated the matter with the seriousness it deserved, making it justifiable for the court to order costs. The amount to be paid is yet to be computed by the court registrar.

“Ochieng is a senior advocate and is aware of this court’s rules. I would equate his conduct to contempt of court. I agree with the prosecution on the issue of costs. I will therefore award costs, and he is the one required to pay them, not the accused person,” Justice Makumbi said.

Prosecution’s case

It is alleged that on January 15, 2023, in Mbarara city, Asiimwe forged a letter of confirmation dated January 16, 2011, addressed to Ssendegeya and claimed it had been signed by Mukami Kariuki of the World Bank Group when it had not.

The prosecution also alleges that on August 17, 2023, in Mbarara city, Asiimwe forged a letter of activity review approval addressed to Ssendegeya, falsely claiming it had been issued by Kampala Archbishop Paul Ssemwogerere.

Money laundering charges

On charges of money laundering, the prosecution further alleges that on July 17, 2024, in Mbarara city, Asiimwe used sh35 million of the sh1.5 billion to purchase a plot of land at Kyarwabuganda cell, Kakoma Parish, from Robert Mwebaze. It is alleged that she knew the money was the proceeds of a crime and used it to conceal the illicit source.

It is further alleged that on July 23, 2021, at Kempungu LC1 Zone in Mbarara city, Asiimwe and others still at large, used sh40 million to purchase a plot of land at Kyarwabuganda cell, Kakoma ward, from Boaz Nyatira. The prosecution contends that the transaction was carried out to disguise the illicit origin of the funds.

Additionally, the prosecution alleges that on October 14, 2023, in Mbarara city, Asiimwe transferred a Toyota Harrier motor vehicle, registration number UBM 44TC, to Brian Lubega. The vehicle was allegedly acquired illicitly, and Asiimwe is said to have known at the time that it was the proceeds of a crime. The transfer was reportedly intended to conceal its illicit source.

According to the prosecution, on July 11, 2024, at Kabaare LC1 zone in Mbarara city, Asiimwe purchased another plot of land for sh12 million from Bruno Twinamatsiko, allegedly knowing that the money used was proceeds of a crime.

She is also accused of buying a plot of land from Pison Byamukama for sh32 million in July 2021, despite being aware that the funds were illicitly acquired.

The court further remanded Asiimwe until April 21, 2026, when the case will come up for hearing.