Businesswoman jailed 8 years over sh720m money laundering

 COURT|CRIME

The Anti-Corruption Court has convicted businesswoman, Yudaya Ntumwa for sh720m money laundering.

On Thursday, Justice Margaret Tibulya sentenced Ntumwa, 65, to 8-years in prison and ordered her to pay sh720m to KCB bank, where she borrowed the money.

The judge also ordered that cash bail of sh6m the convict deposited in court be given to the bank as part of compensation.

In her defence, Ntumwa, a mother of six, claimed that she gave the money to a ‘pastor' (name not mentioned) because she wanted to get miracles.

Court documents indicate that the pastor gave her a miraculous wooden box, claiming that it contained sh5.4b. However, she was told not to tell anybody and was supposed to open it under his (pastor's) instructions.

However, the judge dismissed Ntumwa's tale about miraculous sh5.4b, saying it was fabricated to make it appear that she was a victim whereas not.

"Defense's assertion that the pastor warned the accused not to tell anybody about the existence of sh5.4b cannot be true, given the evidence that she learnt about the pastor's activities through a radio programme."

She added, "The same person who sought to have more people go to him for his services could not have warned the accused not to tell anyone about the miracle of sh5.4b.