Kampala businessman, Mukesh Babubhai Shukla,the Chief Executive Director for Shumuk Aluminium Industries was on Tuesday charged with 13 counts related to forgery and utterance of forged documents.
Prosecution led by Miriam Njuki old court that Mukesh and others still at large on April 17, 2015 in Kampala, with intent to defraud or deceive, forged a letter for official handover of Hotel Diplomate in Muyenga, a Kampala suburb, purporting to have been signed by the deceased Honorary Consular of Pakistan to Uganda Bonney Katatumba.
It is alleged that the businessman also forged signatures for Anne Grace Katatumba, Angella Katatumba, Rugirwa Katatumba, Ian Katatumba and ASP George William Karyegira, the officer in charge of the Chief Justice’s security.
He was later released on Shs3 million cash bond whereas each of his three sureties was asked to pay a Shs 10 million non- cash bond as well as depositing their national IDs with the court.
The case was adjourned to November 26 for mention of the case.
Shumuk’s problems stem from his long battles with deceased businessman and former Pakistan Consul to Uganda Dr.Bonney Katatumba over a number of properties including Katatumba Suites located on Plot 2 Colville Street in Kampala near Communications House and Hotel Diplomat in Muyenga among others.
The battles lasted for many years and by the time of Katatumba’s death, the legal battles were still ongoing.
In the case, the Ugandan of Asian origin is accused of allegedly forging documents to give him ownership of the hotel in Muyenga.
According to documents seen by the Nile Post, Mukesh allegedly forged a letter purporting to be from Katatumba handing over the hotel to him.
“I Bonney Katatumba, the former proprietor of the above mentioned hotel(Hotel Diplomat) with a sound mind not out of duress wish to put on record that I will hand over the long contested property to its right full owner one Mukesh Shukla who purchased it from me some six years back,” reads part of the letter allegedly forged by Shumuk.
“I am signing this consent agreement before his Lordship the Chief Justice within his chambers at the High Court building today April 17, 2015 in the presence of my wife, as well as the police officer who brought me from Mbarara on April 15,2015,” adds the forged letter.
The letter allegedly forged by Mukesh indicates that he was legally handed ownership of the Muyenga based hotel by the deceased Pakistan consul with the consent of his wife and children.
