Police on Saturday arrested city businessman Mukesh Mukesh Babubhai Shukla, the owner of Shumuk Aluminium Industries, for trespassing at Hotel Diplomate in Muyenga.
Mukesh had police called on him by the current hotel owners, after he was found taking juice together with his colleagues at the hotel, in spite of an existing court order barring him from stepping foot at the hotel.
The owners, led by Ms Angella Katatumba, accused Mr Mukesh of trying to take over the hotel.
Mukesh claims ownership of the plush hotel which he supposedly bought from the late Bonny Katatumba in 2008.
Since the, the property has been under contestation, until in 2018 when the tycoon of Pakistani origin was arrested for forging documents for the take over of the hotel.
Mukesh claims he bought Hotel Diplomate from the late Katatumba in 2008 at $630,000.
He says according to court documents, that he paid cash $110,000 to Mr Katatumba and the balance of $520,000 was to be paid to Katatumba’s creditors in respect of Blacklines House on Colville Street, Kampala.
However, in 2018, Shumuk was arrested when it emerged that he had forged signatures on the alleged official handover documents of Hotel Diplomate.
He was charged with 13 counts related to forging signatures of Bonny Katatumba, and his children namely, Anne Grace Katatumba, Angella Katatumba, Rugirwa Katatumba, Ian Katatumba, as well as ASP George William Karyegira, the officer in charge of the Chief Justice’s security
Subsequently, the court issued a permanent restraining order barring Mr Mukesh from going to Hotel Diplomate.
In January this year, the businessman was also ordered by the Buganda Chief Magistrate court to return all the titles for the said hotel.
While being arrested yesterday, Mukesh denied trying to take over the hotel.
He told the police that although he is the rightful owner of the hotel, he was only there as a customer yesterday.
