Verdict in sh1.2b fraud case against father and son deferred

KAMPALA - The verdict in a case where a father, his son, and a guesthouse manager accused of allegedly defrauding a city businessman of sh1.2 billion, has been postponed.

The head of the Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court, Justice Lawrence Gidudu deferred the judgement of Abdul Lubowa, Ronald Kavuma, and Jonathan Tindyebwa, who only identified as a guesthouse manager to March 17, 2025.

According to court records, the accused obtained money by false pretence from Dauda Katende Ssuna, claiming it was needed to unfreeze sh18 billion held in Lubowa’s account at dfcu bank. 

The charges also include obtaining money with false pretence, conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

The judgment was initially scheduled for March 7, 2025. However, on March 5, Justice Gidudu said that he would be away from the station attending to other official duties.

While delivering his opinion on January 27, 2025, a court assessor Robert Sseguya Lubega urged Justice Gidudu to convict the three accused.

Lubega stated that after analyzing the evidence on record, he found that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. He said that the three accused committed the offences of obtaining money by false pretenses and should be convicted as charged.

Court assessors are non-lawyers who sit alongside a judge to provide their opinions based on their understanding of the case. While their input is considered, the judge may choose to agree or disagree with their opinions.

Prosecution’s case

The prosecution led by Chief State Attorneys Nelly Asiku and Safina Bireke from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) allege that Lubowa and others fraudulently obtained Sh1.2billion, 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 (UNRA) for land affected by a road project and intended to use part of the money got from Ssuna to bribe top officials in government to help unfreeze the account.

Regarding the charge of obtaining money by false pretence, it is alleged that between April and July 2018 in Kampala, Tindyebwa, Lubowa, Kato, and others still at large obtained sh1.2billion from Ssuna with the intent to defraud. 

The prosecution said that between the same period in Kampala, Tindyebwa, Lubowa, Kato, and Sabiiti allegedly conspired to steal.

According to the charges of money laundering, it is alleged that Lubowa and Tindyebwa acquired sh1.2 billion and used it to purchase proprieties, yet they knew it was the proceeds of a crime.

Lubowa allegedly used part of the money to construct a house for Aisha Najjemba in Kiwawu Namungo, Mityana district, and bought vehicles—a Toyota Hiace and a Toyota Raum.

Kato allegedly administered sh173 million in his name at Diamond Trust Bank's Ndeeba branch and used sh90 million to purchase land in Mutundwe, in Kampala. Furthermore, Kato purportedly acquired a Toyota Alphard using part of the sh1.2 billion allegedly obtained from Ssuna.

They denied the charges.