Author: Lasuba Memo | Published: 2 hours ago
Justice Guel/Guvel’s image – courtesy
The Commercial Division of Uganda’s High Court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking 4.4 million US dollars in compensation from a South Sudan government entity over an alleged unpaid maize grain supply contract.
The case was filed by Samara Trading Limited, which claimed it supplied maize grain for distribution in South Sudan but was not paid for the consignment.
In her ruling, Justice Patience Rubagumya found that Samara Trading Limited had no legal basis to claim payment from the defendant and dismissed the case.
“In the circumstances, I find that the plaintiff has no cause of action against the defendant. Accordingly, this suit is dismissed,” Justice Rubagumya said.
The company had asked the court for compensation, general damages, interest and costs, arguing that although the original supply agreements were signed with subcontractors, the South Sudan government entity had authorised the arrangement and received the supplies.
According to court records, the Government of South Sudan entered into agreements in 2008 with Palm Enterprises Company Limited and Das Investment Company Limited for the supply of 30,000 and 50,000 bags of maize grain respectively.
Samara Trading Limited later entered into subcontracting arrangements with Palm Enterprises and Muri Investment Company Limited, which had acquired Das Investment, to provide the grain.
The company argued that government agencies in Central Equatoria State acknowledged receipt of the supplies and that this created an obligation for payment.
However, Justice Rubagumya ruled that the contracts were between Samara Trading Limited and the subcontractors, meaning any claims arising from those agreements were limited to those parties.
The court also declined to award costs because the defendant did not file a written defence.
Court records indicate that summons to file a defence were served on South Sudan’s Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in 2025, but no written defence was submitted before the matter proceeded for hearing.
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