Kampala, Uganda: The Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court has directed businessman Mukesh Shukla, popularly known as Shumuk, to conclude his long-running criminal trial without further delays, warning against continued interruptions in the proceedings.
Chief Magistrate Christine Nantege issued the directive on Thursday as Shukla appeared before court in a case in which he is accused of obtaining money by false pretences and conspiracy to defraud.
Shukla, the proprietor of Shumuk Aluminium Industries, is jointly charged with his company, manager Judith Ayebare and accountant Kadikar Dharamdip Anilkumar.
The prosecution alleges that between November 2020 and November 2021, the accused fraudulently obtained more than Shs220 million from Shahid Mahmood Alvi, a director of Alvi Auto Village Ltd, by falsely claiming they could lease or rent out two plots of land located in Banda Industrial Area and Nakawa Industrial Area.
According to court records, the money allegedly obtained included approximately USD27,950 and more than Shs116 million.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Shukla was briefly taken into custody upon his appearance in court and detained for several hours before the matter proceeded.
The court also cancelled his previous sureties and ordered him to present fresh guarantors. His wife and son subsequently stood surety for him and assured the court that he would continue attending all future proceedings.
Chief Magistrate Nantege expressed concern over the prolonged nature of the case and directed that the matter proceed without any further delays.
She fixed July 15, 2026, as the next and final hearing date for continuation of the case, ordering that cross-examination be completed on that day to allow the trial to progress toward conclusion.
The criminal proceedings have been before court for several years and form part of a series of legal battles involving the businessman.
Court records indicate that Shukla was previously remanded to Luzira Prison after being arrested from his office in Nakawa before later securing bail.
At the time, he argued that he was a family man with a fixed place of residence and strong community ties. He also indicated willingness to reconcile with the complainant and reportedly offered Shs20 million as a gesture of good faith.
The latest court directive comes amid heightened public attention surrounding Shukla following fresh legal developments linked to the long-running Katatumba property dispute, which has generated multiple civil and criminal proceedings over the past 16 years.
With the court now placing the fraud case on a strict timetable, attention is expected to shift to the July 15 hearing, where key aspects of the prosecution’s case are expected to be tested through cross-examination.
Shukla remains on bail under the revised conditions set by the court.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
