A Chinese investor, Miao HuaXian, has petitioned the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jane Frances Abodo, to intervene in a complex property dispute involving her real estate holdings in Kampala, Uganda.
HuaXian is requesting that the DPP recall case files related to three individuals allegedly connected to the disputed property, which she claims was acquired without her consent.
Her plea is part of an ongoing legal battle involving significant financial losses and alleged wrongful eviction.
Disputed Property Sale Raises Alarm
According to Miao, her property located at Block 284, Plot 4097, in the Kyadondo Kisugu suburb of Kampala, has been at the centre of controversy.
She alleges that dfcu Bank, which assumed her loan obligations from Crane Bank, has improperly withheld her certificate of title for this land.
Miao claims that her property may have been illegally sold to Beatrice Nansubuga Mogebe and Didas Magara, who have both recently faced police arrest related to the case.
Suspects Under Investigation
The property dispute escalated after Miao discovered that a case involving Mogebe and Magara had been filed under case number 70/04/10/2024 at the Kampala Central Police Station.
Miao’s petition urges the DPP to press dfcu Bank to disclose information regarding the whereabouts of Mogebe and Magara, the individuals allegedly involved in the sale of her property.
Furthermore, Miao requests clarification from dfcu Bank on why they have yet to release her land’s title deed.
Reopening of Aggravated Robbery Case
In addition to her property concerns, Miao is seeking to reopen a criminal case file against Fred Kirenga, who was previously charged with aggravated robbery.
Kirenga, alongside other suspects, is accused of stealing Miao’s possessions during a recent eviction of her family from their Kololo property on Plot 53, Mackenzie Valley.
Miao alleges that during the eviction, significant assets were stolen, adding to her substantial financial losses.
She claims that Kirenga and other suspects are still at large, despite her reporting the robbery to the authorities.
Allegations Against Court Bailiff Moses Kirunda
Miao has also levelled accusations against court bailiff Moses Kirunda, who allegedly acted on behalf of Namaganda Limited during the eviction from her Kololo property.
Miao contends that Kirunda’s actions were unlawful and that her family’s property, valued at billions of Ugandan shillings, was unlawfully removed.
She disputes Kirunda’s claims that the stolen assets were returned to her designated caretaker. Her frustration is compounded by what she describes as a lack of police action to apprehend the primary suspect in the theft.
Longstanding Legal Disputes With dfcu Bank and Namaganda Limited
Court documents reveal that Miao’s legal issues date back to a $500,000 loan (approximately UGX 8 billion) secured from Crane Bank on January 30, 2012.
Miao claims that she used this loan to acquire assets from the liquidators of Kangda Uganda Limited.
As the dispute escalated, Miao’s failure to deposit additional security funds as ordered by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire of the Court of Appeal in 2016 resulted in a judgment against her.
She was required to pay UGX 100 million as security and UGX 220 million for case-related costs, which ultimately led to the loss of her claim against dfcu Bank and Namaganda Limited.
State House Petition for Presidential Intervention
Amidst her ongoing legal battles, Miao petitioned Uganda’s State House on August 30, 2024, seeking assistance from the Presidential Special Task Force on Land and Environment.
She alleges that she and her two children were unlawfully evicted from their family home in Kololo, a property that belonged to her late husband, Ye Yuelin.
Miao claims she is the official administrator of her husband’s estate, though the ownership of the Kololo property remains under legal dispute.
Ongoing Battle Over Family Properties
Miao has publicly asserted her ownership of additional properties in both Kampala and Wakiso, as well as various business assets.
She contends that the companies Namaganda Limited and Sinolar Group of Companies Limited wrongfully attacked her family’s assets in an attempt to recover court-related costs from her 2016 case.
The evictions, allegedly carried out by court bailiff Kirunda under the companies’ directives, have significantly impacted her personal and financial well-being.
In a final plea, Miao expressed her distress over what she describes as a “severe injustice” that has plagued her life.
She hopes that the DPP’s intervention will result in a review of the case files, leading to a fair resolution and holding those involved accountable.
The case underscores the challenges facing foreign investors navigating Uganda’s legal system, with Miao’s plight serving as a call for reforms to protect property rights and enforce due process.
