A long-running property dispute in Kampala has taken another decisive turn after the High Court Commercial Division ruled that businessman Mukesh Shukla, also known as Shumuk, and three of his companies unlawfully occupied part of Shumuk House, formerly Katatumba Suites.
In its decision, the court ordered Shukla to pay about Shs14 billion in damages, mesne profits, and legal costs, citing years of illegal possession of the commercial property.
The ruling adds to a series of judgments favouring the family of the late businessman Bonney Mwebesa Katatumba, with whom Shukla has been locked in a legal battle since 2008. The dispute arose from a contested Shs3 billion loan, which Shukla claims was secured against Katatumba family properties—an assertion consistently rejected by the courts.
Court documents show that in 2014, 2020, and 2021, the Commercial Division nullified several property titles held by Shukla’s companies, ruling that they were obtained through forgery and improper consent.
Judges in those cases reaffirmed the Katatumba family’s ownership of the properties.
The latest award covers rental income and other benefits earned during the period of unlawful occupation, alongside damages and legal expenses. Legal analysts say the judgment underscores the courts’ growing willingness to revisit historical property transactions and penalise long-term trespass.
Reacting to the ruling, Angella Katatumba, daughter of the late businessman and Managing Director of Hotel Diplomate, described the decision as a vindication of her family’s prolonged court fight. In a social media post, she credited the outcome to perseverance against what the family has repeatedly described as fraud and trespass.
Shukla was previously convicted in 2022 on six counts of fraud linked to the same properties, and arrest warrants for criminal trespass were issued as recently as October 2025, according to court records.
Shukla, an executive director at Shumuk Aluminium Industries Ltd, has not publicly stated whether he will appeal the ruling. Legal experts note that failure to settle the award could trigger enforcement measures, including eviction or attachment of assets.
The dispute has remained highly publicised for more than a decade, marked by accusations of harassment, forged documents, and defamation. With the latest judgment, observers say the case may be nearing a legal conclusion—though further appeals could still prolong one of Kampala’s most contested property battles.
