Shs 294m theft: Court denies Byter sales manager Mubiru bail

Kampala Capital City Hall Magistrate’s court has denied bail to former Byter Agriculture Uganda Limited sales manager Medi Mubiru, who is accused of stealing money and goods worth Shs 294.648 million from the Chinese-owned company.

Mubiru, 47, a resident of Buwambo village, Nansana Municipality in Wakiso district, was denied bail after senior principal magistrate Nicholas Aisu found that the three sureties presented by his lawyers had failed to demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to answer for the alleged loss should he abscond from trial.

Mubiru was first charged on September 11, 2026, and remanded to Luzira Prison. He returned to court on September 17 and applied for bail, maintaining his innocence.

The prosecution alleges that between 2023 and 2026, Mubiru, while working as a sales manager and sales representative at Byter, stole company money and goods valued at Shs 294,648,000.

The case was reported to police by Jin Bo, the company director and complainant, after the company allegedly discovered irregular transactions involving its money and goods.

According to the prosecution, investigations traced several transactions allegedly linked to Mubiru, including banking records obtained from Centenary bank.

Investigators also allegedly established that Mubiru received about Shs 82 million from a farm in Kayunga. The prosecution further relied on electronic communications allegedly exchanged between Mubiru and Jin Bo.

The State told court that investigators retrieved WhatsApp messages in which Mubiru allegedly apologised to Jin Bo and admitted committing the offence. Investigators also reportedly obtained company documents, including an invoice dated July 3, 2026, and dispatch records which the prosecution said linked Mubiru to orders for the goods in question.

Mobile-money and bank-account records, as well as an exhibit involving Shs 1 million allegedly recovered during investigations, were also presented as part of the prosecution evidence.

During the bail hearing, defence lawyer Walusansa Mbaaga presented three sureties and asked court to release his client. The first surety, Lizzy Namuli, is Mubiru’s wife and a businesswoman based in Buwambo. The defence presented an LC1 letter introducing her as a surety.

The second, Ivan Senkubuge, is Mubiru’s cousin and a resident of Kayebe Cell, Bulamu Ward, Kasangati Town Council in Wakiso district. The third surety was Harriet Nakintu, also a resident of Buwambo.

Mbaaga argued that the three were substantial sureties and asked the magistrate to exercise his discretion in favour of Mubiru. The prosecution opposed the application, alleging that Mubiru went into hiding after the case was reported and switched off his known telephone contacts, forcing police to conduct an extensive search before locating him.

The State also raised concerns about the safety of the complainant and witnesses. It told court that during the period police were searching for Mubiru, a potential witness identified as Tom Kiyimba was killed.

The prosecution said other witnesses were now living in fear and argued that the alleged Shs 294.648 million loss was substantial. It further submitted that the sureties had failed to demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to answer for the alleged loss should Mubiru abscond.

The State therefore asked court to deny bail or impose stringent conditions if the magistrate was inclined to release him. Mbaaga argued that bail is a constitutional right and reminded court that Mubiru is presumed innocent until convicted.

He challenged the prosecution’s claim concerning Kiyimba’s alleged killing, arguing that the State had not provided evidence establishing the death or linking it to his client.

The lawyer also disputed the prosecution’s assessment of the sureties’ financial capacity, arguing that the State had not explained how it had determined that they were incapable of standing surety.

Mbaaga further argued that Mubiru had previously been a business associate of Jin Bo and was an ordinary Ugandan without the influence alleged by the prosecution.

He assured court that Mubiru was willing to report whenever required and comply with any conditions imposed. In his ruling, magistrate Aisu said Mubiru remains presumed innocent because he has not been convicted of the alleged offence.

He acknowledged Mubiru’s right to apply for bail but said granting bail is a matter within the court’s discretion and requires the court to give reasons for either granting or refusing the application.

Aisu said he had considered the circumstances of the case against the grounds provided under Section 77 of the Magistrates Courts Act.

The magistrate found that the proposed sureties were not substantial because they had failed to demonstrate the means to answer for the amount allegedly lost.

He also noted that, in addition to financial capacity, substantial sureties should be persons of some social standing within the community. Aisu consequently declined to exercise his discretion to release Mubiru, with or without sureties, and ordered that he remain in custody.

Following the ruling, the defence asked court to set a hearing date. The case was adjourned to October 20, 2026, for hearing, and Mubiru was further remanded to Luzira Prison.

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