Judge to rule in city lawyer’s sh1billion fraud case

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The Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court is set to determine whether a city lawyer from KAAB Advocates, accused of fraudulently receiving $286,910 (about sh1 billion) from M/S Ascend Group in Qatar, has a case to answer.

Justice David Makumbi will deliver the ruling on Tuesday, April 2, 2026, in the case where Absolom Kato is facing two charges related to the disputed funds.

Kato is facing charges of electronic fraud under Section 19 of the Computer Misuse Act, 2011, and money laundering under Sections 3(e)(g), 116, and 136 of the Money Laundering Act, 2014.

Electronic fraud carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison or a fine not exceeding sh7.2 million, or both. The offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act attracts up to 15 years in prison or a fine not exceeding sh2 billion, or both. He denied the charges and is out on bail.

Prosecution’s case

The prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Viola Tusingwire from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, alleges that Kato obtained the money under the pretext that the funds were required by the Government of Uganda as performance security fees for a contract to construct six technical model schools in Wakiso, Kasanda, Pader, Garuga, Nampungwe, and Busunju, when in fact this was not true.

Regarding the charge of money laundering, the prosecution further alleges that between June 2022 and April 2023, Kato, while practising as a lawyer at Exim Bank in Nakasero, Kampala, and at KAAB Advocates’ office at Mabirizi Complex, benefited from suspected proceeds of crime amounting to $286,910 (about sh1 billion).

The funds were allegedly channelled through his law firm’s account number 0010013643 held at Exim Bank.

The prosecution further states that Kato received and accessed the money, which was fraudulently obtained from M/S Ascend Group, under the guise of a purported procurement process initiated by the Government of Uganda.

The case was investigated by police officers attached to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, established on December 10, 2018, to coordinate citizen complaints regarding corruption. The unit is currently headed by Brigadier General Henry Isoke.