By Sandra Birungi

Andrew ‘Desh’ Kananura has been sent back to jail over charges of fraud.

Desh Kananura is a city businessman who was recently arrested and is on remand in Luzira prison for the murder of waiter, Abdu Katerega back in 2011. Kananura was arrested as he arrived in the country last week from the UK.

The new charges for the tycoon come after Hajj Sailat Ssemakula of Sema Properties accused him of taking sh340m with the intention of buying him a car but it never came to. He was remanded to Luzira prison again by Buganda Road court chief magistrate, Eleanor Khainza who said Kananura did not apply for bail even though the case was ‘bailable’. Kananura’s lawyer explained that his client would not ask for bail because they were ambushed. “We were not ready to apply for bail because the State used an ambush on my client. It’s pure a civil matter. I wouldn’t comment any further but we shall defend him,” Kananura’s lawyer, Geoffrey Nangumya said.

Prosecution alleges that between November 16 and December 25 last year, the accused entered an agreement to sell and supply Sulait Semakula of Sema Properties Ltd a grader 140OG-Caterpillar at shs340,000,000. According to prosecution, Desh entered this deal with intent to defraud and obtain money by false pretence.

Kananura is said to have deliberately refused to deliver the machine and instead went into hiding.