Troubled city businessman and company director at Taifa Partners Ltd and Integrated Agritech (U) Ltd, Emmanuel Asiimwe, spent a night at Luzira Prison for deliberately refusing to pay an outstanding debt of Shs66m owed to Mutecontra Engineering & Contractors Ltd.
Warrant of arrest
Following a warrant of arrest execution number 0061 of 2024 arising from civil suit No. 10 of 2019, Asiimwe was apprehended at his office in Ntinda on Thursday afternoon by court bailiffs led by Rogers Abomugisha of Solab Associates. He was then delivered to the High Court of Uganda at Kampala (Civil Division).
Frustrated Asiimwe appearing at civil division court in Kampala today
Appearing before His Worship Simon Kintu Zirintusa, Asiimwe was remanded to Luzira Prison.
Perplexed and speechless, Asiimwe struggled to explain the matter to his lawyers. On the verge of tears, he was later escorted to the parking lot, where a specialized vehicle awaited to transport him to Luzira Remand Prison for debtors.
While in the corridors of Tweed Plaza, he was overheard expressing fears to his brothers and well-wishers about the notorious conditions at Luzira Prison.
Background
Asiimwe, the largest shareholder in Integrated Agritech (U) Ltd, subcontracted Hussein Mutekanga of Mutecontra Engineering & Contractors Ltd to construct warehouses and silo bases at a media agency in Mbarara District. He also hired him to build warehouses for Col. William Omaria in Soroti. Mutekanga completed the work to the satisfaction of the clients, who paid all the money through Asiimwe’s account.
However, after receiving the funds, Asiimwe refused to pay Mutekanga, claiming there was no written evidence of their subcontracting agreement.
Mutekanga took the matter to court, and the judge guided both parties into signing a consent judgment after realizing Asiimwe’s apparent attempt to defraud his colleague. Although Mutekanga initially demanded over Shs100m, they agreed that Asiimwe would pay Shs66m in a structured payment plan.
Despite this agreement, Asiimwe continued to evade payment, prompting Mutekanga to return to court for enforcement. As a result, the court issued an arrest warrant, leading to Asiimwe’s apprehension.
Free, But In Chains
As the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, “All men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains.” Asiimwe found himself in chains both literally and figuratively.
After spending a night at what some call the “university of discipline,” a handcuffed Asiimwe disembarked from the Luzira Prisons bus on Friday morning. A prison warder led him to the fourth floor of Twed Plaza. Though visibly composed, he had no choice but to comply. Upon reaching the corridors, he pleaded with the warder to remove the handcuffs, and once freed, he quickly grabbed his phone and reconnected with the outside world as if nothing had happened.
He later appeared before Her Worship Esther Nakadama at 1:20 PM.
His lawyers, Stanley Okecho and Pius Katumba Busobozi of GEM Advocates, made a humble plea on his behalf, explaining that their client had faced numerous challenges but was now willing to pay if granted a grace period. They argued that Asiimwe was owed money by Luzira Prison for completed work. The registrar, however, responded wittily, stating that if Asiimwe was truly expecting payment from the prison, his stay there would provide a good opportunity to remind them to pay.
Asiimwe’s lawyers then offered Shs25m as an initial payment, but Her Worship Nakadama rejected the offer, stating that the debt was long overdue. She gave them three hours to secure the full amount, allowing them to leave the courtroom to make calls.
Meanwhile, Asiimwe paced up and down like a headless chicken, desperately trying to source the balance. His younger brother, Amon Ndyareba, was seen in tears, anxiously contemplating possible ways to raise the remaining funds.
At exactly 3:00 PM, Asiimwe and his lawyers returned to the deputy registrar’s chambers, their faces beaming with relief they had managed to collect the money. However, the court’s atmosphere slightly changed as the cash, gathered from various sources, emitted a peculiar smell, suggesting it had been stored in less-than-ideal conditions.
Counting the Shs1,000 and Shs2,000 notes to reach a total of Shs66m took some time. After completing the transaction with Mutekanga’s lawyer, Asiimwe was finally set free.
More Legal Troubles Ahead
Despite this temporary relief, Asiimwe’s legal troubles are far from over. He is also facing criminal charges related to forgery and uttering false documents. If convicted, the charge of forging resolutions to grant himself Power of Attorney could result in a life sentence.
For now, while Asiimwe may have walked out of court a free man, his troubles continue to loom large.
