SHANITA NAMUYIMBA REMANDED

They made an unlikely couple – one a portly 53-year-old businessman and married father of two, the other a buxom 25-year-old party-loving girl from Uganda.

This week the pair faced each other across a courtroom after David Greenhalgh accused his former mistress Shanita Namuyimba of swindling him out of £2.4million to fund her lavish lifestyle.

Namuyimba, known as ‘Bad Black’ in her home country where she has become something of a heroine, is said to have spent the cash on a fleet of luxury cars for herself and friends, and bought countless rounds of drinks in exclusive nightclubs for her followers.

Accused: Shanita Namuyimba waits in court ahead of her trial in Uganda. She is charged with swindling millions from British businessman David Greenhaigh

She allegedly gained access to the Briton’s vast wealth after they were introduced by a Portuguese businessman three years ago, and they agreed to set up a property company together.

Mr Greenhalgh claimed to have been impressed by Namuyimba’s business skills. He said: ‘At first I wanted to start a business with an honest Ugandan.

Accuser: David Greenhalgh is said to be 'besotted' by the 25-year-old party girl

‘Then when she came along, she impressed me with her good business ideas in spite of her age. She convinced me to start up a real estate company and we formed Daveshan Development Ltd.

‘Ever since we opened up that company I have been giving her a lot of money – more than she is talking about.’

Mr Greenhalgh, who runs an aviation consultancy firm and has business interests across Africa, is said to have become obsessed with Namuyimba, making repeated trips to see her in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

He said: ‘Misusing the money is not a big issue to me.’

What did trouble him, and motivated him to call in police, he said, was when he learned Namuyimba was being unfaithful with a string of young African lovers.

‘What hurts me is to spend my money with other men. They squander my resources and then abuse me,’ he said.

Prosecutors allege that between September 2010 and March 2011 Namuyimba stole £2,385,087 that Mr Greenhalgh had transferred from the UK to facilitate the business.

The mother of two, who claims she is pregnant with Mr Greenhalgh’s baby, was arrested in August and sent to Uganda’s Luzira maximum security prison ahead of trial at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.

Her lawyer, Paul Abigaba, said: ‘This money was given to her by her wealthy lover, the consideration being the good love she gave in return.’

But a source close to the police investigation told the Daily Mail: ‘People here believe that she has used witchcraft on him, made him drink a black magic potion, to make him besotted with her.’

The source said that Mr Greenhalgh had continued to visit Namuyimba ‘until she was arrested’, adding: ‘He continues to text her saying he loves her and he sent her £40,000 as a birthday present.

‘He is paying money to support Shanita’s two young children, from other white men, and she says she is pregnant with his baby.

Big spender: Ms Namuyimba with one of the many carS she is said to have bought with the Sussex businessman's money

‘David tried to keep the legal action secret. He did not want his wife back in England to find out.’

At Mr Greenhalgh’s family home in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, his wife Susan said: ‘I don’t know anything about this case, so I’m afraid I can’t help you.’

The 49-year-old, who was not wearing a wedding ring, declined to comment further. Meanwhile, Mr Greenhalgh was reunited with Namuyimba at a preliminary hearing last week, which attracted hundreds of her supporters.

One said: ‘She has done nothing wrong. It is not a crime to take money from a fool.’

And there were gasps of disbelief from the public gallery when Mr Greenhalgh shared a long and passionate kiss with his former mistress at the back of the court. Lawyers acting for Namuyimba had applied for bail, claiming their client was in poor health.

But her application was refused and she was remanded in prison until a committal hearing on November 18.

Namuyimba denies the charges of embezzlement and claims the money was a gift. She faces 14 years in jail if convicted.

SOURCE: MAILONLINE