Ugandan court awards couple Shs200m and orders ABSA to return two title deeds

The Commercial Court in Kampala has ordered ABSA Bank to return two land titles free of all encumbrances and to pay Shs200 million in general damages to Henry and Immaculate Senoga, closing a dispute that began with a third-party mortgage signed in 2005.

In a judgment delivered on November 6, 2026, Justice Stephen Mubiru awarded Shs80 million to Henry Senoga and Shs120 million to Immaculate Senoga, with interest at 15 percent a year from the date of judgment until payment in full. The bank's counterclaim was dismissed with costs to the plaintiffs.

The titles cover land comprised in Kyadondo Block 273 Plot 3165 at Namasuba, registered in Henry Senoga's name, and land comprised in LRV 3150 Folio 25 Plot 99 along Luthuli Avenue in Bugolobi, registered in Immaculate Senoga's name.

The dispute arose from a US$300,000 loan, equivalent to about Shs1.2 billion, that the bank advanced to Bemugisa Enterprises Limited using the couple's properties as security. On November 14, 2005 the couple executed separate powers of attorney authorising the company to use their land titles as security, and on December 16, 2005 they signed a third-party mortgage with the bank, then trading as Barclays.

The couple argued that the lender had acted wrongly by advancing the money to the company rather than to them, contrary to the purpose for which the powers of attorney were granted. In the alternative, they argued that the company had fully repaid the loan, leaving the bank with no legal basis to retain their title deeds.

The court ordered the bank to return both titles forthwith and free from all encumbrances, and entered judgment in favour of the plaintiffs, with the first defendant paying Shs80 million and the second defendant Shs120 million in general damages.