City businessman Mukesh Shukla, the proprietor of Shumuk Aluminium Investment Limited has been charged with 13 counts of forgery, uttering a false document and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Court heard that Mukesh together with others still at large forged documents for the official handover of Hotel Diplomat located in Muyenga to him.
The tycoon was however released on a Shs3million cash bail on Tuesday evening by the Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate, Stella Amabirisi shortly after being charged.
The hotel belongs to the late businessman Bonny Katatumba, the former Pakistan Consul in Uganda.
Mukesh purportedly forged the signature of members of Katatumba’s family including Angella Katatumba, Annie Grace Katatumba, Bonny Katatumba, Rugirwa Katatumba and Ian Katatumba on April 17th, 2015 and November 2017 authorizing him to take over the hotel officially.
He also purportedly forged the signature of George William Kalyegira, the officer in charge of the security of the Chief Justice.
Mukesh pleaded not guilty to the charges, saying he isn’t a criminal. He applied for bail through his lawyer, Odekel Opolot on grounds that he has a fixed place of aboard, has no pending cases, has never been convicted of any offense and has substantial sureties.
He presented city businessmen Henry Kasirye Kavuma of African Safaris Uganda Limited, Elno Bamwine of Master Links Limited and Sulaiman Kanamara, the Manager Slow Boat Properties Limited, saying they were his longtime friends.
The case shall return to court on November, 26th for mention.