Tycoon Mukesh arrested on forgery charges, out on bail

City businessman Shukla Babubhai Mukesh, 56, was yesterday charged with 13 fraud related charges, but was released on a cash bail of Shs3m.

Mr Mukesh, the executive director of Shumuk Aluminum Industries, appeared in a Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court session presided over by Ms Stella Amabilis, who read to him the charges.

Court bonded his three sureties at Shs10m each (not cash).

They charges included six counts of forgery, six counts of uttering false documents and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to the Penal Code Act. Mr Mukesh denied all the charges.

Mr Mukesh was represented by Mr Deogratius Odokel. Ms Amabilis granted him bail.
The accused was yesterday morning delivered to the court holding cells by the Divisional Police Commander of Jinja Road Police Station, Mr Jackson Muchunguzi.

Prosecution led by Ms Miriam Njuki contends that Mr Mukesh and others still at large on or about April 17, 2015 in Kampala District, with intent to defraud or deceive forged a letter for official hand over of Hotel Diplomate in Muyenga, a Kampala suburb.

The letter is purported to have been signed by the deceased Consular of Pakistan Islamic Republic in Uganda Bonny Katatumba.
It is alleged that the accused forged signatures of Anne Grace Katatumba, Angella Katatumba, Rugirwa Katatumba, Ian Katatumba and ASP George William Karyegira.

Prosecution further states that Mr Mukesh and others still at large in November 6, 2017, in Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala, uttered six false documents as purported official handover letters of Hotel Diplomate.

On the count of conspiracy to commit the offence, it is alleged that in April 2015, in Kampala business centre, Mr Mukesh conspired to commit forgery and uttering false documents for official handover of Hotel Diplomate.

This is not the first time Mr Mukesh name is mentioned in property wrangle cases with the Katutumba family.
In 2016, Mr Mukesh sued three traders over impersonating Chief Justice Bart Katureebe and defrauding him of $125,000 (about Shs419m).

The accused in this matter included Mr Bob Joseph Nabasa, 33, and Mr Martin Matovu, 45 and Saleh Luzinda.
At the start of the trial, Mr Luzinda pleaded guilty and court sentenced him to a fine of Shs19m.
His co-accused are still battling with the case before the same court to date.

Prosecution alleges that the three submitted a false document dated April 16, 2015, as an instrument of handover of the contested Hotel Diplomate to Mr Mukesh, purporting that the said letter had been authored by Justice Katureebe.