Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi has summoned two city lawyers to answer criminal charges of fraud.
Lawyers Robert Senfuka and Umar Nyanzi of SK and partners Advocates are directed to appear before Magistrate Kayizzi on 2rd of December 2024 to answer charges of fraud in regard to alleged forgery of land sale agreements for sell of Kibanja in Katanga near Wandegeya.
“The accused persons are hereby directed to appear on December 2 this year. But also this is a matter that can be sorted before then” Kayizzi said when issuing the summons.
The two accused lawyers were supposed to appear in Court on 18th of November 2024 but their lawyers told court that their clients received the said summons when they already have serious appointments to handle but are ready to appear and defend themselves.
Kayizzi’s decision came after the private prosecutor, Patrick Furah revealed that the suspects were served through their lawyers and also via WhatsApp and confirmed receipt of the summons but were not in court.
Senfuka and Nyanzi are facing accusations of forgery, uttering false documents and conspiracy to commit a felony following a complaint filed by pastor Daniel Walugembe through his lawyers.
Walugembe alleges that the said lawyers under their law firm SK and patterners Advocates while acting for and on behalf of Dr Ntwatwa Lule in July 21 2023 committed criminal acts when knowingly and unlawfully altered sales agreements dated February 9, 1996 and August 13, 1996 respectively.
He alleges that the accused lawyers forged his agreement of February 9, 1996 and that August 13 1996 to indicate his MTN telephone numbers and that of his lawyer as well as bearing Land Act Cap 227 as the law under which the agreement was executed in 1996 did not exist but alter the authentic agreements acquired by Walugembe.
The complaint further states that the genuine and authentic sales agreements bore a certificate of translation whereas the forged ones did not.
Walugembe contends that the said agreements originated on behalf of Dr Ntwatwa thereby committing the offence of conspiracy to commit a felony before they were uttered before the Magistrates Court at LDC on July 10 2023 while cross examining him.
In August 14 2024, the Court at Buganda Road found that the alleged forged documents were uttered to the Deputy Registrar of the Land Division, Jeneva Natukunda who certified them ‘possibly in error’.
“I therefore do sanction the charges of forgery of the said sales agreement, uttering of false documents and conspiracy to commit a felony. I also issue criminal summons against the person complained against who are Robert Senfuka and Umar Nyanzi,” reads the court ruling.
It is alleged that on July 21 2023, the law firm, SK and partners Advocates while representing Dr Ntwatwa petitioned the head of Land Division accusing Walugembe of fraud and indicated that for further particulars, the court can contact Robert Senfuka or Mr Umar Nyanzi.
A case of forgery is contrary to Section 342 and 347 of the Penal Code Act, Uttering false documents is contrary to Section 351 while Conspiracy to commit a felony is contrary to Section 390 of the Penal Code Act and the convict is likely to face not more than seven years imprisonment.
