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A chance meeting online nine years ago that led to bonding, trust and love-induced investment plans back home has ended up in court.

But the Ugandan “immigration lawyer” based in the United Kingdom (UK) has now failed to recover more than Shs400m invested in the long-distance liaison with benefits.

Mr Peter Ziruntusa, alias Peter Campbell, who has been based in the UK since 2004, sued Resty Meribel Mbabazi, Desire Mwesigwa Lutabaire, Johnson Asaba Byaruhanga, aka Faisal Waissa, and Jackson Musitwa Mugwanya, seeking recovery of Shs422,210,865 million.

But High Court Justice Musa Ssekaana on Friday dismissed the case with no costs. He said Mr Ziruntusa had failed to prove his claims for the recovery of the money.

“The plaintiff (Ziruntusa) has failed to prove his claims for recovery of the money sent to the 1st defendant (Mbabazi) under unclear circumstances. Unmarried or cohabitants have no right to recovery of money made or contributed in such a relationship unless it is jointly owned by registration or joint bank account or such other ownership, which infers clear joint ownership,” Justice Ssekaana ruled.

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