Balondemu fraud charges reinstated as he countersues for shs20bn compensation

KAMPALA. In a dramatic turn of events, the government of Uganda has launched fresh legal proceedings against David Balondemu, a well-known city lawyer and the head of the Kampala district land board, over allegations of fraud.

In response, Balondemu has pivoted his legal strategy by filing a civil lawsuit against the Attorney General and a Korean investor, seeking a hefty compensation of 20 billion Ugandan shillings. This move comes after previous criminal charges against him were dismissed by the courts as being malicious.

Documents from the civil court, overseen by deputy registrar Simon Kintu Zirintuusa, reveal that the defendants have a limited time frame of 15 days to present their defense against these legal actions.

As Balondemu gears up for legal confrontation with both the government and the investor, security agencies have swiftly moved to reinstate the dropped charges by securing fresh court summonses.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit stressed the presence of compelling evidence as the driving force behind this legal revival, despite earlier setbacks.

Earlier this year, Balondemu and others were implicated in fraudulent activities involving substantial sums of money, allegedly obtained from various sources, including Hyun UK Kim. However, legal cases against them at City Hall and Buganda Road courts collapsed due to insufficiencies in evidence.

Furthermore, Balondemu faces additional allegations linked to fraud, including a case where an American company was reportedly swindled of Ugx 2.2 billion in a procurement scam related to a water plant project under the Ministry of Agriculture. This intricate web of accusations underscores the complexity of Balondemu’s legal entanglements.