Ugandan court bailiffs Monday afternoon raided Uchumi Supermarkets main branch at Garden City shopping mall, where they destroyed property as they attempted to seize merchandise on the orders of Ugachick, a poultry products’ supplier.

The bailiffs, alleging to have secured a court order, stormed the chain store determined to recover goods worth more than Ush185 million (about $50,000), Ugachick claims to demand from the regional supermarket.

According to the bailiffs, Uchumi owes Ugachick more than Ush185 million that accumulated from supplying poultry products to the retail store between March and July this year.

Ugachick dragged the Kenyan retailer to the Commercial Court for non-payment. It took the intervention of Garden City mall landlord Monday to refrain the bailiffs from destroying more property in the supermarket. Both Uchumi management and Ugachick declined to comment on the development.

“These people have done a lot of damage to the place. They should have come first to the management and sit on a round table to settle the matter. Let us wait for tomorrow because they said they are coming back,” said Mr Amit Talreja, the Garden City landlord.

The bailiffs, who spoke to Daily Monitor at Uchumi supermarket, said they are acting under a court order and were sent to recover the debt owed to Ugachick.

“Our court warrant is still valid. Although they have stopped us from taking the property, we are going to execute it again with the help of police because no one is above the law,” said Mr George Tumusiime, one of the bailiffs from Push and Recovery Agency.

The chain store, which has been running six outlets in Uganda, has seen three of its branches closed over non-performance.

READ: Uchumi closes two branches in Uganda, sends workers on forced leave

The store previously had problems with suppliers over an accumulated debt of more than Ush33 billion (about $9 million) spread over its network.