Daily News on African Billionaires and UHNWIs

Ugandan tycoon Patrick Bitature suffers another legal defeat against South Africa’s Vantage

Timilehin Adejumobi -
Ugandan tycoon Patrick Bitature suffers another legal defeat against South Africa’s Vantage
Key Points
  • Uganda’s High Court ruled in favor of Vantage, ordering a reassessment of legal costs in its dispute with Patrick Bitature over a $26.5 million claim.
  • Bitature’s $10 million loan from Vantage has ballooned to over $30 million, adding financial strain to his business empire amid mounting legal costs.
  • Despite Simba Group’s growth, Bitature faces increasing pressure as lawsuits and debt obligations threaten his assets and financial stability.

Ugandan businessman Patrick Bitature, founder and chairman of Simba Group, has suffered another legal blow in his ongoing dispute with South Africa-based private equity firm Vantage Mezzanine Fund II Partnership.

The High Court in Uganda ruled in favor of Vantage, dismissing Bitature’s counter-appeal to reduce a Ksh194 million ($1.5 million) cost award. Instead, the court directed the registrar to reassess the bill to reflect the full complexity and value of the case.

Court ruling sides with Vantage Capital

Justice Steven Mubiru upheld Vantage’s appeal, stating that the initial cost award was “manifestly low” and did not account for the $26.5 million at stake in the lawsuit. He found that the deputy registrar had miscalculated the legal costs, inadvertently undercutting the amount Vantage was entitled to.

Vantage had challenged the registrar’s October 2024 ruling, which awarded it Ksh104 million ($0.8 million) in taxable costs and Ksh90 million ($0.7 million) in legal instruction fees. The Johannesburg-based firm argued that this sum was inconsistent with Uganda’s Advocates Remuneration and Taxation of Costs Regulations. The High Court agreed, ordering a reassessment to better reflect the financial weight of the case.

Debt, lawsuits, and mounting pressure

Bitature, one of Uganda’s wealthiest businessmen, has been entangled in a legal battle with Vantage since defaulting on a $10 million loan that has ballooned to over $30 million due to interest and penalties. His wife, Carol Nzaro Bitature, and several of his companies—including Simba Properties Investment, Simba Telecom, Elgon Terrace Hotel, and Linda Properties—are also tied to the case.

A London-based court had earlier ruled against Bitature, ordering him and his businesses to pay $65.7 million for breach of contract, including accumulated interest. Vantage’s claims, exceeding $26.4 million, have only added to the financial strain on his business empire.

Despite his legal troubles, Bitature has built Simba Group into a major player in East Africa, with interests in telecom, real estate, energy, agribusiness, and media. Since founding the company in 1998, he has expanded its reach, employing more than 600 direct staff and 1,500 indirect staff as of 2011.

However, the ongoing litigation is casting a shadow over his business empire. With mounting legal costs and increasing financial obligations to Vantage Capital, he faces growing pressure to settle his debts or risk further asset seizures. The latest court ruling strengthens Vantage’s legal standing as it continues to push for full repayment, leaving Bitature with fewer options to maneuver through the dispute.