Crime and Security
City Lawyer Further Remanded Over Alleged Theft of Shs210M from Late Justice Kanyeihamba’s Account
The Anti-Corruption Court has once again remanded city lawyer Andrew Obam to Luzira Prison in connection with the alleged theft of over UGX 210 million from the bank account of the late Prof. George W. Kanyeihamba, a retired Supreme Court Justice who passed away Monday morning.
Obam, a partner at Loi Advocates, is facing a money laundering charge stemming from accusations that he fraudulently accessed and deposited funds from Justice Kanyeihamba’s Bank of Africa account into his law firm’s account using cheques allegedly taken from the deceased’s residence.
Appearing before Grade One Magistrate Paul Mujuni on Monday, Obam was informed that investigations are ongoing but in advanced stages, according to Josephine Namatovu, an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Obam was initially arraigned last Thursday, but could not take a plea as money laundering is a capital offence triable only by the High Court. He is accused of fraudulently receiving more than $56,800 (UGX 210 million) from the retired jurist’s account between October 2022 and September 2024 and allegedly refusing to return the funds, despite repeated requests by the ailing judge.
The prosecution claims that Obam used the stolen cheques to transfer the money directly into the law firm’s account for personal gain. His arrest followed an investigation led by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, in coordination with the police.
Prof. Kanyeihamba, a respected constitutional law scholar and former judge of the Supreme Court, was reported to be hospitalised when Obam was first brought to court. He passed away early Monday at Nakasero Hospital, just hours before the second court appearance.
Magistrate Mujuni ordered that Obam be remanded until July 25, pending further updates from the prosecution.
The case continues to attract public attention due to the high-profile status of the victim and the sensitive nature of the alleged fraud, which reportedly occurred during the judge’s final years of life.
Comments
