The former owner of Simbamanyo House, Mr Peter Kamya has rushed to pay the court filing fees after a whistle-blower exposed him.

City lawyers from Walusimbi & Co.Advocates, who also double as representatives of Meera Investments in the property row between Equity Bank and Architect Peter Kamya of Simbamanyo Estates petitioned the High Court seeking an audit of the court filing fees, indicating that the embattled businessman had repeatedly defaulted fees.

“We are in receipt of a letter written by M/s Walusimbi & Co. Advocates to the Deputy Registrar – Commercial court on 30th November 2021 regarding payment of filing fees,” reads part of the letter from Kamya’s lawyers of Byenkya, Kihika & Co. Advocates.

“As a result of the contents of the letter, our client obtained a fresh assessment from the cashier – commercial court for filling fees and the same was computed at Shs 81,750,000. The said amount has since been paid by our client as filing fees,” the letter reads.

In August 2012, Equity Bank Uganda and Equity Bank Kenya extended a loan worth $10 million to Simbamanyo to finance the construction of a hotel in Luzira and also to take over Kamya’s prior loan from Shelter Afrique. The funds came from both Equity Kenya and Uganda.

Kamya continued to receive money from the rent payments but did not remit any for his loan obligations.

Equity Bank Uganda Limited began foreclosure proceedings against Simbamanyo to recover the outstanding loan.

The bank seized Simbamanyo House and Afrique Suites Hotel on Mutungo Hill in Kampala last year after the city tycoon Peter Kamya and his Simbamanyo Estates failed to clear loans to a tune of $10.8m (about Shs40 billion).

The High Court recently ruled that Kamya should pay a total of Shs1.3 billion as legal costs to Equity Bank (Shs600m), Meera Investments (Shs400m), and Luwaluwa Investments (Shs300m). Kamya is again seeking legal redress over a matter that was deemed closed.