Sophie Nantongo drags ex husband to court over sh30m

By Emmanuel Luganda

Singer Hajjat Sophie Nantongo has dragged her ex husband and proprietor of Kagoma Tea Packers to court over a sh30m debt.

Nantongo alleges that Hajji Abdul Mubiru aka Kagoma failed to pay back sh30m he borrowed from her while they were still together.

Nantongo, through her lawyers alleges that between March and September 2007, she lent money to her former husband worth sh20m, which was done in installments as it is shown in the agreement.

In the agreement, Mubiru was to pay back the money after one year without any extra charges.

Nantongo added that after one year, she reminded Mubiru of the standing debt but instead he kept saying he had no money because his Kagoma Tea Company was incurring loses until the two divorced.

"He consistently complained of making loses in his tea business yet the Company was expanding," Nantongo told Court.

She told court that after divorce due to several marital issues, she continued contacting Hajji Mubiru on phone demanding her money, but he never responded.

However, in his response, Mubiru through his lawyers denied the allegations saying that Nantongo had never advanced any amount of money as she alleges.

"By the time I was married to Nantongo I had sufficient funds. It is me who sponsored her music career when she was still a member in the defunct Eagles' Production," Mubiru explained.

He said that even after she quit the group, he continued sponsoring her music.

Mubiru told court that the agreement the plaintiff purports to rely on as proof of receipt of the said advanced money is forgery and he did not sign anywhere for it.

Prosecution alleges that between March and September 2007, Nantongo advanced sh20m to then husband Hajji Kagoma on condition that he was to pay back after one year which he never did to date.

Nantongo wants court to order Mubiru to pay back her money plus legal costs which all amounts to sh30.8m.

Boniface Wamala, the Chief Magistrate Mengo Court asked Nantongo to bring witnesses in the next hearing that will take place on June 12.