Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has declined a request to halt criminal proceedings against city lawyer Felix Kintu Nteza before the same court.

When the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, Nteza who is facing charges related to obtaining money to a tune of shs195 million by false pretence through his lawyers including Geoffrey Omaset and Anthony Tomusange asked court to halt the trial to enable him complete the "ongoing negotiation process" with the complainants.

He told court that halting the trial would give the two parties ample time to come to a common ground.

However, speaking in response, the state prosecutor, Shifrah Nidoi dismissed the claims by lawyer Nteza as being speculative.

The state prosecutor told court that she is not aware of any ongoing negotiations, adding that Nteza is only speculating, asking that court declines to grant the request to halt trial.

In his ruling over the matter, the trial Grade One magistrate Fidelis Otwao reasoned with the state prosecutor to decline granting the request.

"Court cannot depend on speculative negotiations as raised by the defence," Otwao ruled.

The trial magistrate adjourned the matter to June 19 for the trial to kick off but asked the state to disclose all the evidence that it has against lawyer Nteza to his defence team as required by the law.

The case

Lawyer Felix Kintu Nteza of Kintu Nteza and Co. Advocates is accused of obtaining money to a tune of shs195 million by false pretence from Interlink Education Services Limited in regards to a 2013 land transaction in Wakiso District.