A woman in southwestern Uganda has been sentenced to six months in civil prison for failing to pay Shs14 million to a former lover following a breach of marriage promise, underscoring the enforcement of court-ordered compensation in such cases.
Fortunate Kyarikunda, a law enforcement officer attached to Rubanda Town Council, was remanded to Rukungiri Government Prison by the Rukungiri Chief Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Dinah Nekesa, after she failed to comply with a court order to compensate Richard Tumwiine, a primary school teacher.
The dispute dates back to January 2023, when the Kanungu Grade One Magistrate’s Court directed Kyarikunda to refund Shs9,439,100 to Tumwiine, which he had spent sponsoring her education at the Law Development Centre in Kampala while they were planning to marry. The court also awarded Shs1 million in general damages for the inconvenience and psychological distress Tumwiine suffered.
Kyarikunda failed to file a defence and lost the case. In February 2023, she filed a petition in the same court seeking to overturn the ruling. She later filed another petition before the Rukungiri Grade One Magistrate’s Court seeking similar relief, but it was again dismissed. Despite the rulings, Kyarikunda did not make the payment.
On Tuesday, 10 March 2026, Kyarikunda appeared before court for failing to comply with the order to refund the money, which had since accumulated to Shs14,099,100. Chief Magistrate Nekesa ordered her remand to civil prison for six months. Kyarikunda did not comment in court.
The couple reportedly began their relationship in 2015, while both were teachers at Kiringa Primary School in Kambuga Sub-county. In 2018, they agreed to marry. During their relationship, Tumwiine financially supported Kyarikunda, including sponsoring her Diploma in Legal Practice at the Law Development Centre, spending about Shs9.4 million.
The couple had planned to hold their introduction ceremony in February 2022, but Kyarikunda later called off the marriage.