A UK court has charged Mr. David Greenhalgh, the ex-fiancé of renowned city socialite Shanita Namuyimbwa, also known as Bad Black, with 12 counts of breaching arms embargoes for allegedly supplying arms to several countries.
Mr. Greenhalgh, a 66-year-old aviation expert from Croydon, South London, is accused of brokering the sales of military equipment including Russian fighter jets, air missile systems, and assault rifles to countries such as Syria, Libya, and Sudan.
According to the Sunday Times of the UK, Mr. Greenhalgh appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court last Wednesday, where he was formally charged under the Export Control Order 2008. The prosecution, led by Alistair Dickson, alleged that Mr. Greenhalgh was involved in brokering arms deals in breach of embargo controls between 2009 and 2015.
The charges are linked to some of the bloodiest conflicts of the past two decades. The court heard that Mr. Greenhalgh allegedly accessed and supplied a range of military-grade equipment, including combat aircraft, air-defense weapon systems, missile launch systems, AK47 assault rifles, 9mm pistols, 461,000 rounds of ammunition, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortars. These transactions reportedly occurred in 2014 and 2015 with several unidentified countries.
The case has drawn significant attention due to Mr. Greenhalgh's past relationship with Bad Black, who was a prominent figure in Uganda. The couple's high-profile engagement ended in controversy when Mr. Greenhalgh accused Bad Black of embezzling £2.5 million (Shs10.3 billion) from their joint real estate company, Daveshan Limited.
This accusation led to a legal battle, and in 2012, then Anti-Corruption Court Judge Catherine Bamugemereire convicted Bad Black of fraud, sentencing her to four years in prison. Her co-conspirator and ex-lover, Meddie Ssentongo, received an 18-month sentence.
Bad Black, known for her lavish lifestyle in Kampala, had several high-end cars that were later confiscated by the court to recover the Shs11 billion she was found guilty of embezzling. Despite her criminal record, Bad Black remains a controversial and popular figure in Uganda's social circles.
Mr. Greenhalgh's alleged involvement in illicit arms deals highlights the complex and often dangerous world of international arms trading, where embargoes are frequently violated to supply war-torn regions with military equipment. The case is ongoing, and the legal proceedings are expected to reveal more details about the extent of Mr. Greenhalgh's activities and his connections to various conflict zones.
As the investigation continues, the implications of these charges could have far-reaching consequences, both for Mr. Greenhalgh and the broader issue of illegal arms trading.
