Businessman Drake Lubega denies ever marrying woman seeking Shs180m alimony

Court has declined to direct businessman Drake Lubega to provide alimony to his estranged wife, Jalia Nagawa Lubega amid an ongoing divorce case.
In the main case that is set for hearing on November 9 this year, Ms Nagawa wants court to dissolve her marriage with Mr Lubega. She’s also seeking a court order for disposal of the matrimonial and business property.

She had, in the meantime, asked the court to direct Mr Lubega to pay her more than Shs180 million as alimony. 
Alimony is financial support that a person is ordered by a court to give to their spouse during separation or following a divorce for maintenance.

But Justice Elizabeth Kabanda of the Family Division of the High Court declined to grant Ms Nagawa’s application and said court would continue to hear and decide the main case.
The judge reasoned that she could not grant the order for alimony because the marriage between Ms Nagawa and Mr Lubega is still under dispute. According to records, Mr Lubega denies ever marrying Ms Nagawa.

Ms Nagawa argues that she introduced Mr Lubega to her parents in June 1984 as per the Kiganda custom and that the two were married on August 1, 1989 under the custom of marriage and that they lived together but without a child.
She lists 31 prime properties owned by Mr Lubega from which she wants the court to order for disposal.

“That the period I stayed with the respondent (Lubega) was marred with various acts of cruelty against me like being denied conjugal rights, economic servitude and violence which resulted in several miscarriages among others,” she states.
Through her lawyers, Ms Nagawa accuses Mr Lubega of not only abandoning her but also kicking her out of the family business that she is now unable to take care of yet she allegedly dedicated all her youthful years to growing the business with her now estranged partner.

In his defense, Mr Lubega argues that in 1984, which was the time of the alleged marriage, he was already married and living with Peace Nalongo Lubega with whom they have seven children.
“That in 1992 I separated with Peace Nalongo Lubega and began residing in Banda, Bweyogerere where I met the applicant (Nagawa) and we cohabited for about one year until 1993 when we went our separate ways. That owing to the short period of our relationship, we never had any children,” he contends. 

Through his lawyers, Mr Lubega contends that during the one year he stayed with Ms Nagawa, they never engaged in any joint business as alleged and that she did not make any contribution to his businesses.
Mr Lubage narrates that in 1994, he met Ms Benita Lubega whom he married in December 2,000 and had four children but she later filed for divorce.

“That owing to the fact that I was living with Benita and working with her in the businesses, it is practically impossible for me to have been doing business with the applicant (Nagawa). That I have never conducted any business with the applicant as alleged and she has no interest whether legal or equitable in my property,” he states in a sworn statement before court.
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