Kampala, Uganda – May 3, 2025 – A Ugandan-American businesswoman has ignited controversy in legal circles after filing a formal complaint with the Uganda Law Society (ULS), accusing two high-profile lawyers of fraud, professional misconduct, and betrayal of trust in a high-stakes property dispute.
Ms. Immaculate K. Mutumba, who resides in Indianapolis, USA, alleges that advocates Ocitti Samuel and Swabur Marzuq Abdul—reportedly affiliated with the respected Kampala law firm Lwere, Lwanyaga & Co. Advocates—conspired to defraud her of several multimillion-shilling properties located in prime areas of Kampala and Wakiso District.
In her detailed complaint to the ULS, Mutumba claims the lawyers manipulated her into registering a company, Organic Empire (U) Limited, under the false premise that a Ugandan national ID was required for property ownership. She alleges that although she financed and initiated the company’s formation with the understanding she would retain sole ownership, the lawyers covertly allocated themselves shares and transferred multiple land titles into the company’s name—effectively stripping her of control and ownership.
“I entrusted them with my investments and legal representation while I was abroad,” Ms. Mutumba wrote in her complaint. “Instead, they abused my trust, falsified documents, and sold my land without my consent or any compensation.”
The complaint includes incorporation documents, court records, and land sale agreements that she claims were fraudulently prepared and signed without her knowledge. Most strikingly, she says the lawyers filed High Court Civil Suit No. 0627 of 2022 in her name without her authorization—asserting joint ownership of her properties in a bid to legitimize the transfers.
Among the allegations is a forged “gift” of land to Ocitti Samuel and a subsequent unauthorized sale of part of the same land to Swabur Abdul. Mutumba insists there was no legal or financial transaction between her and the lawyers that would justify such a transfer.
Legal analysts say the case raises serious concerns about attorney conduct and the vulnerability of diaspora Ugandans relying on domestic legal services. “This is not just about property. It’s about trust, ethics, and the accountability of legal practitioners,” one Kampala-based legal scholar remarked.
Ms. Mutumba is seeking the return of six land titles, cancellation of all fraudulent transactions, and a full financial audit of all dealings by the implicated lawyers. She has also called on the Uganda Law Council and other oversight bodies to investigate and take disciplinary action, including potential disbarment and criminal prosecution.
At the time of publication, Lwere, Lwanyaga & Co. Advocates had not responded to requests for comment.
The Uganda Law Society has acknowledged receipt of the complaint and is reportedly reviewing the allegations. The case has already sparked public calls for tighter regulation and oversight of lawyers managing property on behalf of Ugandans living abroad.
