The Chief Executive Officer Per Lundgren and the Finance director Klaus Karstensen together with Bukenya, have however denied the charges before Justice Paul Mugamba.

It is alleged that the trio committed the offence between July 2006 and November 2009 when Bukenya was the chairperson of the cabinet sub-committee on CHOGM.

Hearing of the matter has been fixed for Friday next week.

Last week, Justice Mugamba declined to commence the trial of the case following the failure by the directors of Motor Care to appear in court in person. Justice Mugamba said Professor Gilbert Bukenya could not stand trial alone in the case in the absence of his co-accused.

He rejected explanations from Edmand Wakida, a lawyer representing Motorcare, and Moses Banturaki, the sales and marketing manager who claimed that they had been authorized to represent the company.

He therefore asked the officials to appear in court in person this morning.

By Isaac Senabulya

The post Uganda Motor care managers charged over CHOGM scandal first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Sam Kutesa, Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister

The Anti Corruption Court has begun hearing a case in which three ministers Sam Kutesa of Foreign Affairs, Mwesigwa Rukutana of labour and John Nasasira the government Chief whip are accused with abuse of office and causing financial loss to the government totaling to 14 billion shillings.

The ministers who resigned their posts on Wednesday appeared before the Anti Corruption Court Chief magistrate Irene Akankwasa and denied the charges.

The magistrate released the on a cash bail of 40 million shillings each, and ordered them to deposit their passports with the court. Their sureties were each bonded at 1 billion shillings not cash and ordered to deposit their passports as well.

The post Kutesa, Nasasira and Rukutana granted bail first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Tomorrow (October 13) we are appearing before court to answer to charges of causing financial loss arisisng out of our official duties duties Chogm. We shall definitely take the opportunity to plead our innocence and demonstarte that we are not guilty of the offences charged.

We have, in order to allow for the due process of the court, which we highly believe in, and in the interest of the party which we belong and the government which we serve deemed it prudent and desirable to seek leave from our Apppoinintg Authoirty so as to step aside until the matter is concluded.

Dated 13, October 2011

Signed: Sam Kutesa
John Nasasira
Mwesigwa Rukutana

The post Letter of Resignation from Sam Kutesa, John Nasasira and Mwesigwa Rukutana first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The Inspector General of Government, Raphael Bakku who had appeared before the committee to defend his budget told members that government did not make any agreement for repayment with Serena and Jand M airport hotels when money was advanced, yet the money was supposed to be given as a loan.

Bakku said that according to his investigations he found out that the 1.8 billion shillings that was given to Serena hotel and 2.2 billion shillings that was given to Jand M AIR PORT hotel was just a mere donation.

However Bakku says that he has asked the ministry of finance to recover this money adding that he has negotiated with the owners of these hotels and the widow of late owner of the air port hotel was willing to refund.

Meanwhile the shadow Attorney general also a member of this committee Abdul Katuntu says that the CHOGM investigations by the IGG be stopped because they are not yielding any results.

However, Katuntu says that on the recoveries of the CHOGM money the IGG is attempting to make, he should be in position to get the interest which this money has accumulated over a period of time and the costs the IGG has involved to recover this money.

Katuntu’s proposal was supported by many members on the committee.

By Isaac Senabulya

The post Government donated CHOGM money to Serena and Jand M airport hotels first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

They have also petitioned the office of the president and the ministry of transport demanding their money.

The UTODA wardens who were led by their chairman Moses Kalungi said  that their arrears 884 million shillings in total accrued during the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala 2007.

The wardens were trained by the Police and deployed to manage traffic during the 2007 summit on behalf of UTODA.

The wardens also complain of harassment by UTODA leaders in their operation .

The post UTODA wardens demand CHOGM payments first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The president said this during the NRM meeting that was held at State House Entebbe where he said he conducted his own investigations and found that there is not enough evidence to pin the Ex- vice president Gilbert Bukenya for using his office unlawfully to award contract to car suppliers Motor Care Uganda ahead of the 2007 commonwealth summit.

Meanwhile the Attorney General has refused to avail documents requested for by Bukenya in a case where he is challenging prosecution by the IGG in relation to Chogm scandal.

Former Uganda President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya

Bukenya legal team had asked for minutes of the various Chogm sub-committees meetings held in December 2006 and December 2007.

Council to the attorney General Henry Oluka has however declined to produce the documents saying the IGG is planning to use them in the case. While closing his submissions Oluka told the constitutional court that Bukenya as a former V.P is not immune from prosecutions as acting IGG a position they said does not exist in the constitution.

The court of five judges led by the deputy chief justice Alice Mpagi Bahengaine will give their final ruling on the matter on a date yet to be fixed.

By Mugisa Isaac Mathias

The post President Yoweri Museveni comes to Bukenya’s aid on CHOGM scandal prosecution first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The special Auditor General’s report dated April 2008 and the report of the Parliamentary public Accounts Committee had implicated Mbabazi who was then security minister and chair of the CHOGM security sub-committee

The two reports indicated that the Tetra Communication system was procured before Parliament had approved the ICT loan used in the purchase and that the expenditure of 5 million dollars on the system was also not declared to the Auditor General for Audit as required by law

IGG Raphael Baku

The reports had also indicated that the Procurement was influenced by Amama Mbabazi resulting into flouting of the PPDA Regulations leading to loss of USD 1,800,000 to the Government of Uganda

The two reports had concluded that Mbabazi be punished for abuse of office and influence peddling

However a report released by the inspectorate of government after carrying out an investigation indicates that the procurement procedures for the Security Communication System for CHOGM were in line with the PPDA Act

The report notes that while the expenditure was initially not audited under the approved CHOGM budget in 2008 the expenditure was later audited in 2009 and verified through a special audit concluding that there was no evidence to pin Amama Mbabazi for conflict of interest, and influence peddling

The Inspectorate also indicates that there was no loss of funds and that M/s Balton (U) Ltd supplied more items than what was indicated in the agreement and that the System was delivered in time for CHOGM.

In conclusion the inspectorate says the file about Amama Mbabazi be closed since no case has been established for prosecution or Disciplinary act

By Isaac Senabulya

The post IGG disagrees with Public Accounts Committee on Amama Mbabazi first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

A report by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee  released in May 2010 had implicated Mbabazi, then Minister of Security of “Influence peddling” in the deal awarded to Balton (U) Ltd at USD 5 million by the CHOGM Security subcommittee.

Amama Mbabazi John Patrick, new prime Minister of Uganda

The IGG’s reporting coming exactly a year later has exonerated Mbabazi saying that the procurement procedures for the Security Communication System for CHOGM 2007 was conducted in line with Section 4(1) of the PPDA Act, 2003.

Here is a partial excerpt of the IGG report after PAC recommended the IGG to investigate those accused of corruption in the Auditor General’s report:

“It is true the USD. 5,000,000 for Security Communication System for CHOGM was initially not audited by the office of the Auditor General under the approved CHOGM funds/expenditures in April 2008. Subsequently, on 08/01/2009. Mr. John Muwanga carried out a special Audit of the National Backbone Infrastructure and E-Government Project (NBI/GEI) that covered the US$ 5,000,000 for Security communication system for CHOGM”.

“From the details in the findings of paragraph 5.2, observations of paragraph 6.2 of this report and documents on record there was no evidence to indicate conflict of interest, and influence peddling in the process of procuring Tetra Communication System by Hon. Amama Mbabazi, Minister of Security or any other person as stated in the PAC report of May 2010.”

The PAC had recommended the prosecution of Amama Mbabazi, then Vice President Gulbert Bukenya, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa, Transport and Works Minister John Nasasira, former agriculture minister Hope Mwesigye, former Ministers of State John Byabagambi ( Works ), Mwesigwa Rukutana (labour), Fred Omach (Finance), Serapio Rukundo (Tourism) and Isaac Musumba (Regional Cooperation).

Only Prof. Bukenya has so far been charged with CHOGM related offenses in the anti corruption court. The IGG, Raphael Baku recently said many more public officers implicated will be charged.

Ultimate Media

The post Inspectorate of Government spares Amamba Mbabazi over CHOGM scandal corruption first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The members say they are surprised to see only Bukenya being accused of using Chogm money for his selfish interest yet money was involved.

Addressing journalists in Kampala the UPC vice president Joseph Bbosa said it is unfair for the government to treat the former vice president like are a Rat.

He says according to the law, everyone should be treated the same. Former VP is being accused of embezzling Chogm money for his own interest.

Bbosa also pointed out that the elected cabinet is too week and they don’t think that there is any ministers going to deliver as expected from their ministries.

UPC also asked to know how much the government had injected in the universal primary education (UPE) and agriculture sectors in the coming budget.

Bbosa says government should put much emphasis on UPE because teachers in these schools are being poorly paid which has led to poor performance.

He argued both agriculture and health sector must be improved in this year’s budget to improved in this country economy.

By Mugisa Isaac Mathias

The post Uganda People’s Congress concern about former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Former Uganda President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya

According to Democratic Party President Nobert Mao, it is absurd and embarrassing for one person to misuse the money alone yet there are no drugs in hospitals, roads are in a sorry state, schools lucks adequate facilities, prices of essential commodities are so high among other problems that needs redress.

This follows the summoning of former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya over the misuse of CHOGM funds when Uganda hosted the Commonwealth Heads of government meeting in 2007.

The government yesterday said all those implicated in the CHOGM scandal and other corruption related practices will be brought before court after thorough investigations.

However, Mao calls upon government not to apply selective justice in this move so that everybody engaged in such frauds be brought to book.

Ultimate Media

The post Uganda government asked to charge all implicated in corruption first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.