The High Court in Kampala has temporarily halted all transactions on the multi-billion estate of the late Bank of Uganda Governor, Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, amid an escalating legal and criminal battle between his son and widow.
On October 27, 2026, Family Division Deputy Registrar Suzanne Aisia Musooli issued interim orders freezing the estate’s assets following a petition by the late governor’s son, Duncan Tumusiime Mutebile. The court barred the current administrators—Mutebile’s widow, Betty Tumusiime Mutebile, and David Kyomukama Mutebile—from selling, transferring, leasing, or operating the estate’s bank accounts, specifically targeting a key account at Bank of Baroda.
Crucially, the court also issued an injunction protecting Duncan from being forcefully detained or confined in any psychiatric or mental health facility, ordering that his care be managed by his lawful attorneys and a caregiver of his choice.
The legal war spans across two main legal battlegrounds: Civil Suit No. 342 of 2026 (the main administration lawsuit) and Miscellaneous Application No. 4668 of 2026 (which secured the asset freeze and personal protection orders)
Prof. Mutebile steered Uganda’s central bank for over two decades from 2001 until his death in January 2022. Four years later, his massive wealth is the subject of an ugly public scramble. The contested assets include:
In Civil Suit No. 342 of 2026 at the (Family Division) Duncan Tumusiime Mutebile is demanding the revocation of his stepmother’s letters of administration. He accuses her of submitting misleading inventories, hiding massive assets, and secretly transferring a prime Kololo property into her personal name without consent
In Defense Filing (Dated Oct 14, 2026) Betty T. Mutebile & David K. Mutebile The administrators claim Duncan is not the governor’s biological son, alleging his father is a man named Disan Tumusiime. They argue Duncan suffers from bipolar disorder and was coerced by relatives into signing a power of attorney.
The feud exploded into a criminal investigation in late 2026, drawing in police and state prosecutors:
- September 9, 2026: Duncan grants power of attorney to representatives Joseph Ntegyereize Mutebile and Caleb Karyaho Tukaikiriza to fight for his share.
- September 24, 2026: A psychiatric assessment at Kira Health Centre IV clears Duncan, finding him cognitively intact, fully oriented, and free of psychopathology.
- September 28, 2026: Duncan’s team lodges a formal complaint with the DPP and Kira Road Police alleging kidnap and forced rehabilitation confinement.
- October 14, 2026: The administrators file their defense, disputing Duncan’s lineage and mental capacity.
- October 22, 2026: State Prosecutor Hanifa Kasana demands the police file be submitted to the DPP for evaluations on the kidnap charges.
- October 23, 2026: Deputy ASP Flavia Natabirwa Namutebi orders the Mpigi rehab center to hand over Duncan’s medical history and demands his transfer to a state facility for an independent psychiatric assessment.
- October 27, 2026: The High Court steps in, issuing interim orders to preserve both the multi-billion estate and Duncan’s personal freedom.
