Kampala Lawyer Buzibira Disbarred for Shs1.2 Billion Land Fraud

Kampala lawyer Richard Buzibira has been permanently banned from practicing law in Uganda following a ruling by the Law Council Disciplinary Committee. The committee found Buzibira guilty of significant professional misconduct, specifically fraud and negligence, related to a land deal valued at Shs1.2 billion.

The disciplinary action was initiated by a complaint from Pastor Daniel Walugembe, who accused Buzibira of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme concerning land at Block 28, Plot 7 in Buyaga. Buzibira allegedly used forged documents, including powers of attorney, to falsely claim authorization to process land sale payments from the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) into his personal account.

The committee, chaired by Moses Mushabe Nabende, found that Buzibira forged signatures and created a false trail to misappropriate funds intended for compensation. The ruling stated that Buzibira’s actions violated Section 27(5) of the Advocates Act, causing “gross loss and all sorts of inconvenience” to multiple parties, including the government.

Despite Buzibira’s defense, the committee dismissed his claims, citing the coherence and plausibility of the complainant’s evidence. The ruling highlighted that Buzibira “willfully ignored his professional ethics for financial gain” and deliberately facilitated the illegal transaction.

This is not the first time Buzibira has been linked to land fraud scandals. Previous reports have connected him and others to similar schemes, and a parliamentary committee investigated him and a partner in 2022 over a Shs2 billion land compensation payout where clients allegedly received only a fraction of the funds.

The Law Council has ordered Buzibira to pay Shs10 million to Pastor Walugembe for costs and Shs2 million to the Disciplinary Committee. His disbarment signifies a continued effort by Ugandan authorities to address corruption within the legal profession.

This information is based on a report from the Daily Monitor.