Court Orders Businessman Mukesh to Face Arrest

The High Court has ordered businessman Shukla Mukesh Babubhai to pay the National Unity Platform spokesperson, Joel Ssenyonyi, sh73m in costs arising from an election petition.

The deputy registrar, Jameson Karemani, directed that Mukesh be arrested if he does not pay the money.

“This is to direct you to arrest and bring the judgement debtor before this court with all convenience and speed unless the said sum is paid,” he stated in a warrant of arrest in execution dated July 13, 2022.

The registrar further commanded court bailiff Hillary Ahumuza, trading as Hillary Ojuku and Associates, to return the warrant by August 30, 2022 with an endorsement certifying the day on which and the manner in which it was executed or the reason why it has not been executed.

Karemani directed every officer of the Uganda Police Force to ensure that the arrest is done in a peaceful and lawful manner.

On October 14, 2021, High Court judge Isaac Muwata dismissed with costs an election petition Mukesh filed against Ssenyonyi on grounds that the businessman failed to adduce sufficient evidence to support his voter bribery allegations.

Being dissatisfied with the ruling, Mukesh challenged the trial judge’s decision, but it was also dismissed by the Court of Appeal with costs.