UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The ongoing legal battle between city lawyer Fred Muwema and Justice Stephen Mubiru, head of the Commercial Division of the High Court, regarding tycoon Abdul Hirji Hamid Mohammed Karim and a DFCU multi-billion deal, has intensified, leading to a plea for intervention from Principal Judge Dr. Flavian Zeija.
In a letter dated February 1, 2024, addressed to Dr. Zeija, lawyer Muwema expressed grievance over the perceived injustice his clients are facing due to Justice Mubiru’s actions.
Muwema alleges that Justice Mubiru’s decisions have jeopardised his clients’ multimillion-dollar properties, including several plots including LRV 330, Folio 11, Plot 56 Seventh Street, Industrial Area, LRV 301 Folio 21, Plot 58 Seventh Street, Industrial Area and LRV 4009 Folio 11 Plot 88 South Street Kampala City.
The dispute stems from a purported loan received by Muwema’s clients, Salim Pyarali Hirani and Shamina Hirani, proprietors of MP Electronics Limited and Master Electronics, from the defunct Crane Bank Limited, owned by city tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia.
DFCU sought to enforce this loan, amounting to USD 3.8 million plus USh3 billion, as a successor in title.
Muwema asserts that his clients never received the loan amount in their bank accounts. Despite pleas to Justice Mubiru to allow inspection of their bank accounts and relevant documents to verify the loan disbursements, Muwema claims that Justice Mubiru declined these requests, relying on technicalities to deny his clients a fair hearing.
Consequently, Muwema alleges that DFCU bank unlawfully sold and transferred his clients’ properties to city businessman Abdul Hirji Hamid Mohamed Karim.
In his letter to Principal Judge Zeija, Muwema urged urgent intervention to ensure a fair hearing and examination of the case file. He alleges bias on the part of Justice Mubiru, accusing him of favoring the bank over his clients’ rights.
According to court documents, Muwema’s clients also claim collusion between tycoon Karim and the Commissioner of Land Registration, Ashishi Shantal Kamani, and Triputi Ashish Kamini, to fraudulently transfer their land.
This dispute is not the first between Muwema and Justice Mubiru. In a separate multi-billion case involving city tycoon Patrick Bitature against South African-based lending company Vantage Mezzanine Fund 11 Partnership, Justice Mubiru dismissed Bitature’s case and directed Muwema to pay the costs for allegedly misleading his client with a “bogus application.”
Justice Mubiru’s conflict with Principal Judge Zeija dates back to November 2024 when Zeija ordered him to clear the backlog of cases on his desk and refrain from hearing new cases until delivering judgments on pending ones.
Justice Mubiru later ruled that the Principal Judge lacks the authority to compel a fellow judicial officer to overturn their decision in a matter, as they are not an appellate court.
The clash also involved Justice Stephen Musota’s Inspectorate of Court, with Justice Mubiru contesting its authority to direct a judicial officer on case file handling.
READ MORE LIKE THIS:
Fight Over Apartments on Lugogo Bypass Leads to Investigation
Landmark Ruling Orders Dfcu Bank to Vacate Sudhir’s Properties and Pay Compensation
