Roko Construction Company has suffered a legal setback after the High Court declined its application to stop the enforcement of a judgment requiring it to pay more than Shs 1.5 billion to Pramukh Steel Limited.
Presiding over the matter, Justice Dr. Ginamia Melody Ngwatu ruled that Roko had not met the legal threshold necessary to justify a stay of execution.
“After examining the legal submissions from both sides and reviewing the relevant laws on stay applications, the court finds no compelling justification to halt the judgment,” Justice Ngwatu said.
She noted that Roko had not proved it would suffer irreparable damage if the payment proceeded, nor had it shown that Pramukh lacked the financial muscle to return the money in case Roko’s appeal succeeded.
Furthermore, Justice Ngwatu observed that Roko failed to present key documents supporting its appeal — including a memorandum of appeal and proof of seeking a certified record of court proceedings.
“In the absence of these documents, the court cannot determine the likelihood of a successful appeal,” she added. “The application is therefore dismissed, and the respondent is awarded costs.”
The origins of the dispute go back to 2020, when Pramukh Steel filed a suit against Roko to recover nearly $400,000 in unpaid invoices for construction materials. Of the $450,850 owed, Roko had only paid $51,671 — leaving a balance of $399,156.
In a ruling delivered in 2024, Justice Cornelia Sabiiti Kakooza sided with Pramukh, ordering Roko to settle the debt with 10% annual interest until the full amount is cleared.
Following the decision, Pramukh initiated enforcement proceedings earlier this year. Roko, in an attempt to delay the process, filed for a stay of execution, arguing that its pending appeal had a high probability of success and that immediate payment would impose serious financial harm.
However, Justice Ngwatu was unconvinced, emphasizing that without the required appeal documents, there was no basis to determine whether the appellate court might reach a different conclusion.
With the dismissal of the stay application, Pramukh is now free to proceed with recovery efforts against Roko.
