Lawyer Balondemu remanded to Luzira prison on fraud charges

Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA hall Court Grade One Magistrate Edgar Karakire has remanded the Kampala District Land Board Chairperson David Balondemu to Luzira Prison, for obtaining money by false pretense.

Appearing before the Court on Friday, Balondemu was also charged with conspiracy to commit a felony with lawyer Eric  Geoffrey Mkwe who is at large.

Two weeks ago businessmen James Jeff Mugisha and Godfrey Mabirizi were also charged and remanded by the same court.

The court heard that the accused persons and others still at large between the months of March and November 2021 at the offices of Balondemu and Company Advocates along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala City obtained US Dollars 600,000 by falsely pretending that they were selling 53 kilograms of Gold to Hyun UK Kim a Korean investor whereas not.

Balondemu denied the charges against him and through his lawyers led by Evans Ochieng and Mukasa Mbidde asked to be granted bail.   He argued that he is an officer of the court with historical unquestionable legal experience as a lawyer.

He presented Dr. Richard Lukandwa a Consultant Physician at the Medical Hub, Richard Collins Kiberu, the  Managing Director of C and C Investments and Goldmark Property Limited, his wife Slyvia Bahizi an employee at Uganda Registration Services Bureau -URSB businesswoman  Betty Nakayima dealing in Chemicals  Sunrise Luxury SMC as his sureties.

The Prosecution led by State Attorney Mercy Yamangusho Khaidarah said Mkwe ran away and is so close to Barondemu that when he is granted bail, he may run away too thereby complicating the Prosecution case.  She added that investigations are incomplete  and therefore releasing Balondemu will jeopardize the ongoing inquiries.

The Magistrate asked to be given more time to study the application and remanded Balondemu until November 6th, 2023.

Balondemu was arrested three days ago by the detectives attached to the State House Anti Corruption Unit and has been in detention at the Special Investigations Department in Kireka prior to his production today in a fully parked room.

It has become common for some law firms in Kampala to be implicated in Gold scams where specifically they are being accused of conniving with the suspects, an accusation they have denied.