Bad Black, Meddie's assets seized

By Anne Mugisa

A total of 107 assets belonging to embattled city socialite Shanita Namuyimbwa aka Bad Black and lover Meddie Ssentongo have been seized at the orders of the High Court.

Bad Black and Ssentongo were convicted in July 2012 for stealing David Greenhalgh’s money, amounting to over sh11b, which was meant for investment in Uganda under the company called Daveshan Development (U) Ltd.

Greenhalgh, a Briton, is Bad Black’s former lover and co-owned the company with the socialite. The order was issued following an application by Greenhalgh’s lawyers.

The move was to block Bad Black and Ssentongo’s agents from disposing of the property, which would frustrate attempts to recover Greenhalgh’s money.

The order

“Daveshan Development (U) Ltd and David Greenhalgh have proved to the satisfaction of the court that the respondents are poised to remove/dispose of the whole of their property so as to render a decree that may be passed against them nugatory,” the order reads, adding:

“This is to command you to attach the respondents’ property that may be found as per the list herein annexed or their value or such portion of the value as may be sufficient to satisfy any decree that may be passed against them and you are further ordered to attach the respondents’ said properties and keep the same under safe and secure custody until the further order of the court.”

Some of the property, according to Greenhalgh’s lawyers, is disguised in other people’s names. He, however, said there is evidence that the property belong to the convicts.

The property attached on court order includes houses and land in prime areas of Kampala, Entebbe, Wakiso, Masaka and Mukono as well as land in Mityana, Mukono and Busunju.

Others are businesses in Uganda and bank accounts here and South Africa, a flat in the UK and property in Chicago, USA. Other property includes vehicles.

Guards have also been deployed to guard the seized assets so that none of Bad Black and Ssentongo’s agents tampers with them.

The attachment is being executed by Kwiz-Honest Auctioneers. Christopher Kwizera, the Kwiz-Honest director, said the attachment is still going on.

Bad Black jail terms

Bad Black was sentenced to a cumulative jail term of seven years – four for embezzlement and 18 months each for the two counts of conspiracy to defraud.

Ssentongo, on the other hand, was convicted to 18 months imprisonment for each of the counts of conspiracy to defraud, which he is still serving.

Bad Black has since jumped bail after she was temporarily released to seek treatment for her breast implants in India.

She was expected to be in prison for four years because she was to serve the sentences for the three charges concurrently.