By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has re-arraigned David Balondemu, the Kampala District Land Board Chairperson and Ibona Joseph before Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court on charges of Obtaining Money by False Pretence and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony.
The duo appeared before the presiding magistrate, Ms Winnie Nankya on Monday 20th November, 2023 and denied the charges.
According to the charge sheet, the accused and others still at large while operating under a law firm M/S Bloom Advocates obtained over UGX 2.2B from an American company KG Unlimited LLC, by falsely pretending that they were going to award it a contract of supplying agricultural drone sprayers and fertilizers from Ministry of Agriculture where as not.
Balondemu, who is also the Chairperson of Kampala District Land Board (KDLB) on Monday appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court where he was jointly charged with Bloom Advocates Limited accountant Joseph Ibona.
Court heard that the accused between November 2022 and April 2023 at Bloom Advocates located at Kingdom Building in Kampala, with intent to defraud obtained $553,000 (more than Shs2 billion) from KG Unlimited LLC by falsely pretending that they were going to award it a contract of supplying agricultural Drone Sprayers and fertilisers from Uganda’s ministry of agriculture, animal industries and fisheries whereas not.
It is further alleged that the four accused and others on the run conspired to commit a felony by obtaining the said money falsely from the American firm.
Balondemu, and his co-accused however, denied the charges and were remanded to Luzira Prison till 22nd November 2023 amidst lengthy submissions from their lawyers seeking to have them bailed, pending the hearing of their case.
“There are many documents involved in this application. The national identification cards, the employment cards, local council letters, affidavits opposing the application and medical forms of Balondemu,” Presiding magistrate, Ms Winnie Nankya held on Monday afternoon.
