Lawyer, banker charged with intermeddling with deceased person's property

The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has charged a banker and a lawyer with intermeddling with the property of a deceased person and conspiracy to commit a felony.

The duo David Arthur Bagambe, 47, a banker, and Ronald Ceaser Munyani, 52, a lawyer, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi at the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court on Monday, who read the two charges to them.

The prosecution, led by Ivan Kyazze, alleges that Bagambe and Munyani, along with others still at large, disposed of two acres of land on Busiro block 459 plot 15 without authorization from the administrators of the estate of the late Charles William Makumbi Dumba.

According to court documents, the land in question was part of the estate of the late Makumbi Dumba, which was being managed by administrators David Luzige and Phillip Dumba. However, Solome Kaweesa, the former administrator of the estate, had allegedly disposed of the entire estate, leaving only 11.5 acres of land registered on Busiro block 459 plot 15.

Bagambe claimed to have bought the land from Kaweesa, but the new administrators rejected his claim, leading to a series of court cases. Munyani represented Kaweesa while she was still the administrator, but later switched sides to represent Bagambe.

"Bagambe was victorious in both High Court and Court of Appeal, but the issue was finally settled in Supreme Court where his interest on the said land was found to be non-existent and ordered that the title reverts to the estate," the court documents state.

Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, Bagambe allegedly continued to deal with the land, selling part of it to Emma Birungi. The sales agreement was drafted and witnessed by Munyani, who also represented Birungi in the transaction.

Birungi registered a caveat on the land, stating that she had not been given the title or possession because the matter was still in court. However, the prosecution alleges that Bagambe and Munyani continued to intermeddle with the estate, distributing the land to various individuals without authorization.

"I have considered the time and find the sureties presented substantial. The accused persons are hereby granted bail of Shs 30m not cash and Shs 30 non-cash bond to each of the sureties. The accused should deposit their passports in court," Chief Magistrate Kayizzi ruled.

The case has been adjourned to January 8, 2025, for mention.