– Swiss investor and Ugandan girlfriend
– Court case over land grabbing in Hoima.
By Trend News Line 2024-02-12 06:50:16.
Hoima Land Scam: Ugandan Businessman Files Lawsuit Against Swiss Investor
A Ugandan businessman, Medad Osborn Twesigye, has filed a lawsuit against a Swiss investor and his Ugandan girlfriend, accusing them of fraudulent land conveyancing. Twesigye claims that the Swiss investor, David Ferdinand Heimhoer, and his girlfriend, Mariam Kajumba, deceived him into selling his 2 square miles of land in Hoima.
It all started when Twesigye was invited to a business meeting at Fairway Hotel in August 2022. At the meeting, he was introduced to Heimhoer, who was portrayed as a serious investor from Switzerland interested in establishing a solar energy processing plant in Hoima.
Excited about the opportunity, Twesigye negotiated a deal with Heimhoer, resulting in a purchase price of USD5 million for his land. The deal was memorialized in a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which required Twesigye to facilitate the land acquisition process.
Twesigye fulfilled his obligations by obtaining a surveying report that authenticated his ownership of the land. However, Heimhoer failed to deposit the USD100,000 commitment fees and instead placed a caveat on the land, preventing Twesigye from dealing with it freely.
Feeling deceived and cheated, Twesigye instructed his lawyer, Fred Muwema, to take legal action. He filed a civil suit in the Hoima High Court against Terra Solar Energy Ltd (Heimhoer’s company), Heimhoer, Kajumba, and the Commissioner of Land Registration.
Twesigye is demanding the vacation of the caveat and the lifting of the veil of incorporation, arguing that Terra Solar Energy Ltd is a fake briefcase company with no office or adequate share capital. He believes that Heimhoer and Kajumba should be held personally responsible for the fraudulent land conveyancing.
Twesigye hopes that the High Court Judge in Hoima will rule in his favor to protect other potential victims of land grabbing. He wants to ensure that Swiss or foreign investors cannot successfully defraud others in similar circumstances.
Efforts to reach Heimhoer and Kajumba for comment have been unsuccessful so far.
This case highlights the importance of due diligence and careful consideration when entering into business agreements. It serves as a reminder to always verify the legitimacy of individuals and companies involved in large transactions..
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