Four Tian Tang bosses granted bail
The four were charged with five counts including attempted murder on September 23, 2024, and were remanded to Kauga Prison but later relocated to Luzira Prison in Murchison Bay
The four Tian Tang bosses while in Mukono Court waiting for the Magistrate. Mukono chief magistrate Roselyn Nsenge granted them bail. (Photo By Eric Yiga)
NewVision Reporter
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Mukono chief magistrate Roselyn Nsenge has granted bail to the four Chinese nationals who are also the top bosses of Tian Tang Group of Companies.
The four were charged with five counts including attempted murder on September 23, 2024, and were remanded to Kauga Prison but later relocated to Luzira Prison in Murchison Bay.
By 9:30 am on September 30, 2024, the four Chinese: Lian Kai, Bin Ding, Chen Cheng and Wu Zhang aka Martin had reached the Mukono Magistrate's Court in handcuffs.
At about 10:22 am, Nsenge urged the sureties to ensure that the accused appear before the court whenever need be.
▪️ Four Chinese nationals charged, remanded over attempted murder
Tian Tang bosses getting off a Prison's bus as they head to court for the bail hearing. (Photo by Eric Yiga)
“Don’t think that the case is done. Just honour the [bail] condition and appear in court whenever you are wanted,” she told the accused Chinese.
Nsenge said the sureties met the conditions and granted the accused a cash bail of shillings 10 million each. The sureties were bonded shillings 100 million non-cash.
The case was adjourned to October 31, 2024.
Background
Mukono Chief Magistrate Roselyn Nsenge remanded four Chinese investors over allegedly assaulting and attempting to murder Qingshang and his son, Liu Hanbin, at Namanve on September 17.
This was after the group converged at Namanve for a drink up to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a Chinese traditional holiday.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Zhang met Qingshan at a conference in Kampala in 2019, which was organised by the association of Chinese investors in Uganda.
Zhang reportedly convinced Qingshan to invest in Uganda. It is said the parties agreed to incorporate a company to, among others, do the business of assembling automobiles at the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park.
However, Shen reportedly walked out on the deal after a fallout with Qingshan. He left the country and had been demanding to be paid for his investment in the company.
Zhang’s contribution, which included the land at Mbale and Namanve, a showroom, factory workshop and apartment, constituted 15% of his shares.
New Vision Online has learnt that the co-operation agreement entered into by the four prohibited shareholders from engaging in conflicting business activities.
However, Tian Tang in a statement released on Wednesday last week said Qingshan violated this agreement by registering two competing companies in April 2023; Watu Auto Works Uganda Ltd and National Enterprise Corporation (NEC)-WATU Automobile Uganda Ltd, without the consent of fellow shareholders.
Watu has 80% shares and NEC 20% shares. These companies utilised the premises allocated to Automobile Group, excluding other partners and causing significant losses.
Qingshan is also being accused of forging the signature of Tian Tang Group’s chairperson on company documents to adjust the shareholding in his favour.
“This conduct violated the agreement between the partners and occasioned considerable loss,” Tian Tang noted.
They noted that efforts were made to mediate the dispute through the head of State House Investors Protection Unit, Col. Edith Nakalema, and NEC managing director Lt. Gen. James Mugira, but it failed.
Despite the challenges, Tian Tang reassured its stakeholders and the public of its dedication to truthfulness and professionalism in its dealings.