KAMPALA — I&M Bank Uganda has opened a new branch in Ntinda at premises formerly occupied by Crane Bank, returning the property to banking use years after it became part of a legal dispute involving businessman Sudhir Ruparelia’s Meera Investments Limited and dfcu Bank.
The development, marks a new chapter for the property, which was among the former Crane Bank premises affected by litigation over the transfer of leasehold interests following the lender’s takeover.
Crane Bank was placed under statutory management by the Bank of Uganda in October 2016, citing concerns about its capital adequacy and liquidity. In January 2017, selected assets and liabilities were transferred to dfcu Bank under a Purchase of Assets and Assumption Agreement.
The transaction included leasehold interests in properties that had housed Crane Bank branches. Meera Investments, associated with Ruparelia, challenged the transfer, arguing that the leases could not be transferred without its prior written consent as the registered landlord.
Court ruling over former Crane Bank properties
In October 2023, the High Court Land Division ruled in favour of Meera Investments in its dispute with dfcu over 48 former Crane Bank properties.
The court ordered the cancellation of dfcu’s leasehold titles and directed the bank to surrender vacant possession of the premises. It also declared dfcu a trespasser and awarded Meera Investments Shs2.4 billion in general damages, in addition to costs.
dfcu maintained that the leases had been transferred under its agreement with the Bank of Uganda and said it had already vacated the disputed premises in 2020.
In January 2026, the High Court considered further proceedings relating to compliance with the earlier judgment. The court acknowledged that dfcu had handed over 47 of the 48 properties but addressed outstanding questions surrounding restoration obligations. The ruling also considered the effect of a stay of execution on those obligations.
The proceedings illustrate the distinction between a bank’s acquisition of selected assets and liabilities and the separate property rights of landlords whose premises were used by the lender.
I&M strengthens its Kampala presence
The Ntinda branch adds to I&M Bank Uganda’s physical presence in Kampala, where the lender serves individual and business customers through its branches and service centres.
Ntinda is a major commercial and residential area, with businesses, offices and retail establishments serving communities across the surrounding neighbourhoods.
The new branch provides another banking location in an area where I&M had previously maintained a service centre at Capital Shoppers Mall.
The move also places the lender in premises associated with Meera Investments, adding another connection between I&M Bank and commercial property linked to the Ruparelia Group.
I&M Bank’s headquarters are located at Kingdom Kampala, a commercial development associated with the group.
The Ntinda opening comes amid continued competition among commercial banks to expand their physical reach while investing in digital services and other customer-facing channels.
A new chapter for the property
The return of banking services to the former Crane Bank premises highlights the changing use of commercial property following the legal disputes that arose after the lender’s takeover.
For Meera Investments, the premises form part of a wider portfolio of properties whose leasehold interests became the subject of litigation following the transfer to dfcu.
For I&M Bank, the Ntinda branch expands its presence in a busy Kampala neighbourhood and gives customers another location from which to access banking services.
The reported opening of the branch is a fresh development in the history of the former Crane Bank network, although the broader legal proceedings surrounding the properties have involved separate questions of ownership, possession and restoration.
The development underscores how properties associated with a major banking dispute can return to commercial use while the legal history surrounding their occupation continues to attract public attention.