Former MP Nabilah claims joint liability to pay UGX 800M loan

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The former Kampala Capital City Woman Member of Parliament Nabilah Naggayi Sempala has told the High Court that she is jointly liable with her husband to pay a loan of 800 million shillings to former presidential candidate Professor Venancius Baryamureeba.

Nabilah revealed this while appearing before the Commercial Division Judge Steven Mubiru on Monday to defend herself in the case in which she was jointly sued with Baryamureeba for conniving to evict her husband Isaac Sempala out of their home located at Kyadondo Block 273, plot 5 Katuso Close Kampala.

The said property was reportedly used as a security by the couple to acquire an 850 million loan which they later failed to pay forcing Baryamureeba to claim it. The records before court show that the couple only paid 50 million shillings on January 30th 2020, out of the total loan which was to be paid back annually in installments since 2013.

But according to Sempala’s case, the loan was reportedly obtained behind his back and therefore he wants court to restrain the respondents from taking the property under contention.

On Monday, when Nabilah came to defend herself, she confirmed that she was given a loan in two installments of 450m and another of 400 which they used to remodel their Kampala house and also to pay for the immigration process in Canada where the family has since acquired a new home registered in the husband’s name.

Nabilah added that although the documents show that the loan was given to her, the husband was always in the know and that he is a direct beneficiary because the property is registered in his name.

The court has also heard that part of the loan was also spent in hiring and retaining a lawyer in Canada, paying for the accommodation of the entire family in a hotel for three weeks while abroad and also in travel tickets.

She has also told court that as a couple, they had hopes of paying back the monies soon when the husband gets a job abroad but he delayed to get it and the Covid-19 breakout also disrupted them.

But after acknowledging that she is jointly liable with the husband for the loan in question, Nabilah was asked by the trial Judge if he should enter judgement against her.  But her answer was non-committal.

The case has now been adjourned to July 17th 2022 for further hearing.

Nabilah says that she struggled as a woman to make sure that the property is not taken.

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URN