Lawyer Balondemu back into custody after Entebe airport arrest
Kampala. The chairperson of the Kampala District Land Board, David Balondemu, also owner of M/s Balon Advocates and Bloom Advocates, is back into custody to face charges of falsifying medical records to secure a court bail.
Balondemu is also under scrutiny in reinstated charges following investigations by the Brig Henry Isoke led State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) regarding gold scams and other alleged sham transactions.
State owned newspaper, New Vision quoting police sources reported on Monday Balondemu was arrested soon after landing at Entebe International Airport as he returned from Dubai on Friday.
In SH-ACU’s investigations, it is alleged Balondemu, through his law firms M/s Balon Advocates and Bloom Advocates, is implicated in several cases of alleged fraud. One prominent case involves the accused defrauding Guner Kuzu Construction Limited, a Turkish Company, of a substantial amount totaling USD 3,806,885 (approximately UGX 14 billion). This deceit purportedly occurred in connection with a supposed procurement deal for the construction of hospitals in Uganda.
Additionally, Balondemu is under investigation for allegedly swindling Air Options Pty Ltd, a South African Company, of USD 1.7 million (equivalent to UGX 6.3 billion) in relation to a procurement contract for the supply, installation, and maintenance of air conditioning systems by the Ministry of Local Government. Another case involves the fraudulent acquisition of funds from Tecmo Automation Pty Ltd, a South African Company, amounting to USD 410,520 (about UGX 1.5 billion) for the purported supply of fuel and lubricants to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.
Furthermore, Balondemu is accused of deceiving Marce’ Firefighting Technology Pty, another South African Company, of USD 60,000 (approximately UGX 225 million). Investigators are also delving into allegations of fraudulent conversion of property linked to Plot 20 Prince Charles Drive, utilizing a forged Minute No. KDLB.53/6.4/2022.
Moreover, Balondemu faces accusations of falsely allocating non-existent land, purportedly encompassed in LRV 4645 Folio 13, Plot 1-5, Kyambogo Link, to Babubhai Construction Limited, a Kenyan Company. Notably, on 12th October 2023, an invoice totaling UGX 450 million from M/s Bloom Advocates, signed by Balondemu, was reportedly issued to the company. This allocation was sanctioned by the Kampala District Land Board, over which he presides.
Court had dropped the charges but SH-ACU petitioned the DPP who reinstated them.
