KAMPALA, Uganda — The High Court in Kampala has ordered prominent businessman Mukesh Shukla, popularly known as Shumuk, and his associated companies to pay Shs 14 billion ($3.9 million) in damages to the estate of the late Boney Mwebesa Katatumba.
The ruling, delivered on December 23, 2025, concludes a significant chapter in one of Uganda’s most protracted property disputes.
In his judgment, Justice Stephen Mubiru found Mukesh Shukla, along with Shumuk Springs Development Ltd, Springs International Hotel Ltd, and Shumuk Financial Services Ltd, liable for the wrongful possession of condominium units located at Plot 2 Colville Street, famously known as Black Lines House (formerly Katatumba Suites).
The court determined that while a purchase agreement was initiated in 2008, the defendant failed to clear the full contractual balance.
Despite this, the Shumuk firms took possession of the property, collected rental income, and obstructed the rights of other unit owners and the rightful heirs for nearly 16 years.
The Shs 14 billion award is largely comprised of “mesne profits”—the profits an illegal occupier receives during their period of wrongful possession. The court calculated the loss based on the following:
- Duration: Approximately 196 months of illegal occupation.
- Estimated rent: The units were valued at approximately Shs 5.5 million each per month.
- Affected parties: The award compensates for the deprivation of income to the Katatumba estate and third-party purchasers who had acquired units before the Shumuk transaction.
Justice Mubiru clarified that ownership of the disputed property remains vested in the Katatumba estate. The court noted that a secondary agreement dated November 2008, which Shukla relied upon, was void because the property was already subject to a subsisting contract that had been breached.
The court further directed that any land titles or transfers made in favor of Springs International Hotel Ltd be canceled, reinforcing the 2014 Commercial Court findings that previously invalidated Shukla’s claims to the assets due to a lack of valid sale agreements.
Also Read: Sweet business and the rise of the Rai family empire in Uganda
This ruling adds to a series of legal setbacks for Mukesh Shukla regarding the Katatumba properties. In 2022, Shukla was convicted on six counts of uttering false documents after he was found to have forged signatures—including that of the late Boney Katatumba—to facilitate the handover of Hotel Diplomate in Muyenga.
Reacting to the latest development, the Katatumba family, led by Angella Katatumba, expressed that the judgment serves as a long-awaited vindication of their father’s legacy and their 15-year struggle for justice.
