A Ugandan-American businesswoman has filed a bombshell complaint with the Uganda Law Society (ULS), accusing two prominent lawyers of professional misconduct, fraud, and betrayal of client trust in a multimillion-shilling property dispute spanning several prime locations in Kampala and Wakiso.
Ms. Immaculate K. Mutumba, currently residing in Indianapolis, USA, alleges that the lawyers Ocitti Samuel and Swabur Marzuq Abdul conspired to defraud her of multiple high-value properties she entrusted them to manage while living abroad. Both advocates are believed to be affiliated with the respected law firm Lwere, Lwanyaga & Co. Advocates.
The case dates back to 2018 when Ms. Mutumba, seeking professional oversight for her real estate interests in Uganda, initially hired Ronald Ampulira, followed by Ocitti Samuel. According to her complaint, the lawyers advised her to register a company, Organic Empire (U) Limited, allegedly to protect her land under the guise of a non-existent law requiring Ugandan national ID cards for property ownership.
Ms. Mutumba claims she financed the registration of the company with the understanding that she would retain full control. However, she later discovered that her lawyers had covertly awarded themselves shares in the company and transferred her land titles into its name. The documents submitted include incorporation records, court filings, and land sale agreements that she says were manipulated without her consent or compensation.
In one of the more startling revelations, Ms. Mutumba alleges that the lawyers filed a civil suit High Court Civil Suit No. 0627 of 2022 in her name, without her authorization, falsely claiming joint ownership of her properties.
Further allegations include a forged “gift” of land to Ocitti Samuel and the subsequent alleged sale of part of that land to Abdul, despite no legal or financial transaction between the parties.
“This is a textbook case of abuse of trust and legal manipulation. Ms. Mutumba’s rights and properties have been violated by the very individuals charged with safeguarding them,” reads part of the complaint submitted to ULS.
She is now demanding the return of six property titles, cancellation of fraudulent sale agreements, and a full financial accounting of all transactions carried out by the accused lawyers. Ms. Mutumba is also urging the Law Council and other relevant authorities to take disciplinary action.
Legal experts say the matter could result in severe consequences including disbarment and criminal prosecution should the allegations be substantiated.
Officials from Lwere, Lwanyaga & Co. Advocates have not issued a public statement on the case at the time of publication.
The Uganda Law Council has been asked to urgently investigate the claims, amid growing calls for reforms to protect diaspora clients from exploitation in the legal sector.
Efforts to speak to the accused lawyers by press time were futile as their well known contacts were not going through.
