The High Court Commercial Division has ruled that businessman Shukla Mukesh, popularly known as Shumuk, and his companies—Shumuk Springs Development Ltd, Springs International Development Hotel Ltd, and Shumuk Financial Services Ltd—have been illegally occupying part of Shumuk House, formerly known as Katatumba Suites.
The court ordered Shukla to pay approximately Shs 14 billion in damages, mesne profits, and legal costs.
The ruling marks a major development in a protracted legal battle between the late Bonney Mwebesa Katatumba’s family and Shukla over ownership of prime commercial property in Kampala. The dispute dates back to 2008 and stems from a contested loan of about Shs 3 billion allegedly extended by Shukla to the late Katatumba, with family properties as collateral.
Angella Katatumba, the late businessman’s daughter and Managing Director of Hotel Diplomate, celebrated the court victory on social media. “Another huge loss for Mukesh Shukla aka Shumuk. What a great God we serve,” she wrote, emphasising her family’s long fight against alleged forgery, fraud, and trespass.
Court records show that multiple judgments in favour of the Katatumba family have been issued over the years. In 2014, 2020, and 2021, the Commercial Division cancelled property titles transferred to Shukla’s entities, citing forgery and improper consent.
In 2022, Shukla was convicted on six counts of fraud related to the family’s properties, and arrest warrants were issued as recently as October 2025 for criminal trespass.
The Shs14bn awarded includes rents and benefits derived from Shumuk House during the period of unlawful occupation, as well as damages and legal costs. Legal experts say the ruling reinforces the judiciary’s commitment to scrutinising historical property transactions and protecting rightful ownership.
Angella Katatumba praised the ruling, saying it honours her late father’s legacy: “We continue to defend our family’s estate. Every court victory is a step toward justice for my father and our family.”
Shukla, who serves as executive director of Shumuk Aluminium Industries Ltd., has not yet indicated whether he plans to appeal the decision. If the payment is not made, the court may authorise enforcement actions, including eviction or attachment of his assets.
The feud between the Katatumba family and Shukla has remained highly publicised, with the family alleging ongoing harassment, forgery attempts, and defamation campaigns by Shukla. The latest ruling is viewed as a decisive win in the decade-long battle over one of Kampala’s prime commercial properties.
