Kampala socialite Shanitah Namuyimbwa, alias Bad Black, has been arrested in Kigali, Rwanda. Details of her arrest are not yet clear, but Rwanda National Police spokesperson Damas Gatare said she was picked up at Kigali International Airport, Kanombe, this morning.

"It’s true she has been arrested and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is handling her case,” Gatare said, promising to revert with the detail of the case after getting information from the CID.

This paper could not verify information that the socialite was arrested while trying to leave the country. However, the director of Interpol Uganda, Assan Kasingye, said his office has been in touch with Interpol Rwanda, and that they had issued a warrant for her arrest. Kasingye said they are now awaiting Bad Black’s extradition.

Bad Black jumped a court bail after applying to go for breast treatment in India last year. She had claimed her breast was ‘rotting’ while serving her sentence in Luzira Prison in Kampala. Kampala High Court judge Stella Arach-Amoko granted the socialite a cash bail of Shs100 million (about Rwf26,000 million) on November 16, which she paid on December 7.

However, upon her temporary freedom, Bad Black left the country reportedly en route to India, but it was next heard she was in Dubai ‘partying away’. She also failed to show up in court on two separate occasions, forcing the Kampala City Council Court to issue a warrant for her arrest in March.

A tabloid in Kampala reported three months ago that Bad Black had been seen at the New Papyrus club in Kimihurura, Kigali, with her Vercruse Maysean Velos, a story that probably alerted Uganda Police Force to the runaway convict’s whereabouts.

She was sentenced to a four-year jail term after being convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court of embezzling Shs11 billion from British businessman David Greenhalgh. Greenhalgh, who was running a real estate company, Daveshan Development Company Ltd, fell out with Bad Black (they were lovers) and sensationally accused the socialite of the defrauding his franchise.

In July, last year, she was jointly convicted with businessman Meddie Sentongo on two counts of conspiracy to defraud. Sentongo served his 18-month jail term and was released from Luzira three months ago.

Bad Black faces extradition to Uganda, where she is likely to face more charges related to jumping court bail, as well as her standing four-year jail term.

More details to follow...