The High Court has ruled in favour of Equity Bank, allowing it to continue recovering more than Shs1.3 billion from Ratidu Trading Ltd after rejecting an attempt to block enforcement of the debt.
In her decision, Justice Susan Odongo dismissed an application filed by Ratidu Trading and its director, Titi Kayondo Kabi, who wanted the court to pause execution of the judgment as they pursued an appeal.
The dispute began after Equity Bank issued a loan to Ratidu Trading, which later defaulted. In 2023, the bank went to court to recover the money. Ratidu denied owing the full amount and claimed it had already paid over Shs700 million, but failed to provide proof to support that claim. The court subsequently ruled in favour of the bank.
After losing the case, Ratidu tried to reopen it, arguing that its former lawyers had mishandled the matter by failing to present key payment evidence. However, the court rejected that request in August 2025, finding no strong reason to revisit the judgment.
The company then filed a notice of appeal and returned to court, asking for a temporary halt to the recovery process. It warned that immediate enforcement could cripple the business, lead to loss of property, and cause serious financial damage.
Ratidu also argued that its appeal had a strong chance of success and said it was ready to provide security as required by law.
But Equity Bank opposed the request, saying the application was simply a tactic to delay repayment. The bank further argued that the order in question could not legally be paused and that the appeal itself was not properly filed.
Justice Odongo agreed with the bank, ruling that Ratidu had not met the legal requirements needed to stop execution of the judgment.
The decision now allows Equity Bank to proceed with recovering the debt, while also sending a clear message that courts will not easily grant delays in enforcing commercial judgments without strong legal grounds.
