Accused. City businessman Shukla Babubhai Mukesh, aka Shumuk, while appearing before Buganda Road Court on November 20, 2019. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
Businessman Mukesh Babubhai Shukla, also known as Shumuk, has been entangled in several legal battles involving charges of obtaining money by false pretense, uttering a false document, and forgery. These disputes, many involving multibillion shillings, threaten the sustainability of his business empire.
Mr Mukesh, the chief executive director of Shumuk Aluminum Industries, is also the proprietor of the Shumuk Group of Companies, which includes a forex bureau in Kampala.
His troubles began with a disputed Shs3 billion loan allegedly extended to deceased businessman Bonney Mwebesa Katatumba, purportedly using properties as collateral. The contested properties include a resort on Katatumba Banda Island, Katatumba Suites in Kampala, and Hotel Diplomat in Muyenga, which remain disputed to this day.
In 2014, the Commercial Division of the High Court ruled that Mukesh had failed to implement the terms of his agreement with the late Katatumba, ordering him to pay more than Shs11 billion after losing a property battle against Katatumba’s family. The court also mandated the cancellation of all land titles Mr Mukesh had transferred to his name. Mr Mukesh appealed the decision and the matter is still pending.
While the appeal is ongoing, Mr Mukesh has faced numerous civil and criminal cases in Makindye and Buganda Road courts.
In October 2022, he was convicted on six counts of forgery and uttering a false document related to an official handover letter for Hotel Diplomat, which is in the possession of the Katatumba family. He was fined Shs2 million for each count.
Additionally, the Makindye Magistrate’s Court dismissed a case Mr Mukesh filed to evict the Katatumba family from Hotel Diplomat, accusing them of criminal trespass.
The court found that the application was improperly filed and struck it out, noting that the pleadings did not indicate a tenant-landlord relationship but rather each party claiming a legal and beneficial proprietary interest.
In 2020, the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court dismissed another case Mr Mukesh filed against singer Angella Katatumba, daughter of the late Katatumba, accusing her of trespassing on Hotel Diplomat. The court cited abuse of process, as the facts were linked to the property dispute pending in the Court of Appeal.
In a separate dispute, the court ruled in favour of Emerald Hotel Limited and its proprietors, Ms Julian Nakityo and Mr Abbey Mutebe, against Shumuk Properties Ltd, Mr Mukesh Shukla, and others, including the defunct Barclays Bank.
The court declared that Shumuk Properties Ltd had unlawfully taken over property on Plot 3 Semiliki Way, rendering the sale void.
Mr Mukesh is also involved in a Shs220 million case where he is accused of obtaining money by false pretense and conspiracy to defraud regarding the purported leasing of two plots of land to Alvi Auto Village Limited. Between November 2020 and November 2021, Mr Mukesh allegedly obtained $27,950 and more than Shs116 million from Alvi Auto Village Ltd by falsely claiming he was leasing the land.
Furthermore, Mr Mukesh is fighting to save his Shumuk plant in Nakawa and another prime property in Naguru-Lugogo UMA Showgrounds from being sold by the Bank of Baroda Uganda Ltd.
The High Court issued an interim order last month, stopping the bank from selling these properties. The bank had issued a sale notice in February 2024, demanding repayment of an outstanding loan of Shs18.4 billion.
Mr Mukesh insists he had honored all loan obligations since the loan was issued in 2010 and has sued the bank, contesting the recall of the loan in 2018 and the subsequent auction attempt.
