news 16 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Kampala Socialite's Former Lover, David Greenhalgh, Convicted in UK for International Arms Trafficking
British businessman David Greenhalgh, once famous in Uganda for his high-profile romance with socialite Bad Black, has been found guilty in a UK court of running an illegal international arms trafficking ring. He faces sentencing for his role in attempting to supply military-grade weaponry to war-torn regions. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/from-kampala-luxury-to-uk-jail-tycoon-david-greenhalgh-convicted-of-trafficking-fighter-jets-missiles-to-war-zones-5498382
David Greenhalgh, a British businessman once a familiar face in Kampala’s elite circles, is set to face a lengthy prison sentence in the United Kingdom after being convicted of orchestrating a large-scale illegal arms trafficking operation.
Greenhalgh, 68, and his associate Christos Farmakis, 48, were found guilty at Southwark Crown Court in London of attempting to supply military equipment, including fighter jets, tanks, and missile systems, to countries under international arms embargoes. This conviction represents a significant fall from grace for Greenhalgh, who gained notoriety in Uganda during the early 2010s.
He was widely known for his extravagant lifestyle alongside socialite Shanita Namuyimbwa, also known as ‘Bad Black’. Their union was marked by lavish spending and high-profile appearances, but their relationship soured when Greenhalgh accused Bad Black of defrauding him of millions of dollars. This legal battle led to Bad Black’s imprisonment in Uganda in 2012.
However, it has now emerged that while Greenhalgh was involved in these high-profile legal and social dramas in Uganda, he was concurrently managing a sophisticated global network for illicit arms trading. The operation, which ran from July 2009 to December 2016, targeted conflict zones like Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Iraq, and Iran.
Prosecutors revealed that Greenhalgh, an aviation expert, used his international ‘Airservices’ group of companies as a facade for these illegal transactions. Farmakis, using a Cyprus-registered company, aided in the negotiations. The weapons brokered included sophisticated military hardware sourced from Eastern Europe. Evidence presented in court included leaked emails detailing discussions about supplying large quantities of assault rifles and plans to circumvent international regulations by forging documents and rerouting shipments.
Greenhalgh was convicted on ten counts of illegal arms trafficking, while Farmakis was convicted on nine. UK authorities stressed that Greenhalgh, as a British national, was subject to UK trade controls irrespective of his operations’ global reach. The sentencing for both men is scheduled for July 22, 2026.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)