{UAH} Uganda: Lawyer Ordered to Refund Over Shs1Billion, Suspended From Practice

Uganda: Lawyer Ordered to Refund Over Shs1Billion, Suspended From Practice

By Ephraim Kasozi

Kampala — City lawyer Fitz Patrick Furah has been handed a one-year suspension from legal practice over professional misconduct.

The Law Council also ordered Mr Furah to refund $308,000 (about Shs1.1b) to businessman David Greenhalgh, the proprietor of Daveshan Developments.

The case resulted from a dispute against Mr Furah over failure to recover funds and properties from the then jailed socialite Shanita Namuyimbwa aka "Bad Black" and her accomplice, Meddie Sentongo, who were convicted of fraud before the Anti-Corruption Court.

The committee chaired by Mr John Kiwuuwa ruled that Mr Furah is liable for professional misconduct when he failed to execute his work as instructed by his client, Mr Greenhalgh.

According to the Law Council, Mr Furah failed to pay Uganda Revenue Authority taxes for recovery of vehicle BMW X6 despite being given $17,800 to clear taxes due and that he also failed to lodge caveats as instructed despite receiving payment of $290,200.

The orders of the disciplinary committee resulted from a complaint in which Mr Greenhalgh sued for disciplinary action against his former lawyer, Mr Furah over dubious, unprofessional and fraudulent dealings.

Mr Greenhalgh asked for an order for refund of $453,000 (about Shs1.6b) which he fraudulently obtained from him and his company, Air Services MK and action be taken on him under the Uganda professional advocate laws.

The committee ruled that it was satisfied that Mr Greenhalgh is the proprietor of Air Services MK and that funds transferred to the respondent's bank account by Air Services MK were for his benefit and that even the loan agreement prepared by Mr Furah indicated that the loan was advanced by Air Services on whose behalf, the complainant signed.

"Regarding the funds advanced for recovery of the vehicle from URA, the respondent (Furah) failed to show any evidence that he remitted the funds to URA as instructed," the committee ruled.

The committee heard that Mr Greenhalgh advanced $20,000 to file an application to prevent early release of Mr Sentongo, Bad Black's ex-lover, but ruled that the decision whether or not to effect early release ultimately lay with the courts.

With regard to the advance of $140,000 (more than Shs507 million) to Mr Furah to buy a house, the committee ruled that the transaction was purely personal between the two parties outside the ambit of of the client/advocate relationship.

Although Mr Furah was not available for comment, the committee advised Mr Greenhalgh to seek other remedies outside the committee.

Sunday Monitor tried to contact Mr Furah for a comment but repeated calls and text messages to his two known mobile numbers went unanswered.

Gwokto La'Kitgum

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